Beirut: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday said that those launching rockets from the southern part of the nation are endangering the security and safety of the citizens and giving Israel reasons to continue with its attack.
This came as militant organisation Hezbollah launched a series of rocket attacks towards Israel from Lebanon in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This is also the first time the militant group has attacked Israel since the ceasefire agreement came into force in November 2024.
In a post on X, Salam, without naming Hezbollah, said, “Regardless of the party standing behind it, the launching of rockets from southern Lebanon is an irresponsible and suspicious act that endangers Lebanon’s security and safety and provides Israel with pretexts to continue its attacks on it.”
“We will not allow the country to be dragged into new adventures, and we will take all necessary measures to stop the perpetrators and protect the Lebanese,” he added.
Following the rocket attacks, Israel carried out airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled areas of Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had begun striking the militant targets across Lebanon and held Hezbollah responsible.
One rocket was intercepted by air defences while the others fell in open areas, the military said in a statement. The launches triggered air raid sirens across northern Israel.
Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said there were no immediate reports of casualties from the strikes, though several people sustained minor injuries while running to shelters.
Fire from Lebanon has been rare since a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect in November 2024. Israel has continued to carry out frequent airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at thwarting “threats.”
The rocket fire followed a formal eulogy from Hezbollah on Sunday, in which the group’s chief, Naim Qassem, described the Israeli assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as “the height of crime.”
(IANS)
