Rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel early morning Tuesday local time, triggering missile alert sirens across parts of western Galilee and prompting retaliatory fire from Israel.
The sirens were heard in Netiv HaShayara, Sheikh Danun, Hanita, Ya’ara, Cabri, Metzuba, Avdon, Idmit and Shlomi, according to data from Israeli rocket alert system Red Alerts – Cumta.
An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation following the red alert revealed that unidentified assailants had launched two missiles in total from Lebanon.
Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted one of the rockets. The other crashed into an open area, according to the IDF. (RELATED: Ben & Jerry’s Won’t Sell Ice Cream In Certain Parts Of Israel Just Three Years After Partnering With Outspoken Anti-Semite)
“We remain prepared to defend Israel on all fronts,” the IDF said. Israeli forces fired artillery towards Lebanon in response, according to the IDF. The Lebanese Army confirmed in a Tuesday morning tweet that Israel fired artillery towards Wadi Hamul in southern Lebanon.
BREAKING: 2 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel. 1 of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System & the 2nd rocket fell in an open area inside Israel.
We remain prepared to defend Israel on all fronts.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 20, 2021
No injuries or damage were reported from the rockets. The Israeli army will not be issuing any special instructions for those living in the targeted region, according to The Times of Israel.
More than three hours before the rocket attacks, Israel reportedly carried out airstrikes in northern Syria, according to Syrian state media, Reuters reported.
Footage from the recent #Israeli attacks southern #Aleppo, #Syria. pic.twitter.com/RiBp3AiUk6
— Barzan Sadiq (@BarzanSadiq) July 19, 2021
Activists on the ground in Syria reported that Israel had struck a “scientific research centre” and defense factories belonging to forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad in al-Sferah, Aleppo, according to Britain-based conflict watchdog the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The IDF neither confirmed nor denied carrying out the air raid, sticking to its usual silence on its activities in Syria, according to The Times Of Israel.
Israel has conducted multiple airstrikes in Syria since the beginning of the country’s civil war in 2011, the outlet reported.
The objectives behind these Israeli strikes range from trying to hinder Iran from setting up a military presence in Syria and attempts to thwart the trafficking of advanced weaponry to militant groups such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, according to the outlet.