Israel says it is attacking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after rockets were fired from there into Israel for the first time since a ceasefire deal came into effect in November. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “to act forcefully against dozens of terror targets in Lebanon”. Lebanon’s state news agency said one person has been killed in the strikes. The IDF earlier said three rockets were intercepted in the northern Israeli town of Metula on Saturday morning. There were no injuries. No group has so far admitted firing the rockets, and Lebanon’s prime minister warned against his country being dragged “into a new war”. The ceasefire deal ended 14 months of fighting with Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group backed by Iran. The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Unifil, said it was “alarmed by the possible escalation of violence”, urging both Israel and Lebanon to “uphold their commitments”. Local reports in Lebanon said artillery had fired into some southern locations. The Lebanese army said it had conducted a search operation, discovering “three primitive rocket launchers” which it dismantled. The truce has been fragile: Israel has carried out nearly daily air strikes on what it describes as Hezbollah targets, and has indicated that attacks will continue to prevent the group from rearming. In addition to that, the Israeli military is still occupying five locations in southern Lebanon, in what the Lebanese government says is a violation of the country’s sovereignty and a breach of the ceasefire deal, which required the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
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