Hamas Launches Rockets from Lebanon, Raising Tensions with Israel & Hezbollah's Involvement

Hamas militants, from their armed wing called the al-Qassam Brigades, have launched 16 rockets from Lebanon towards Israel's city of Nahariyya and southern Haifa, according to the group's Telegram channel. This comes in response to what the group perceives as Israel's aggression and massacres against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army reported that about 30 projectiles were fired at northern Israel from Lebanon and retaliated by firing back at the direction they were launched from.

The tense situation between Israel and Lebanon has been ongoing since Hamas initiated an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7th. The assault led to Hamas taking over 240 people hostage and resulted in a month-long war that has claimed the lives of over 10,000 individuals, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Israeli officials state that the majority of the casualties, over 1,400 people, have been civilians. This recent rocket attack from Lebanon demonstrates an alliance between Hamas and Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite group, Hezbollah.

Hamas is known to have fighters stationed in south Lebanon who have previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks on Israel. Tensions have remained high at the border between Israel and Lebanon, two countries that technically remain at war, since the October 7th attack. Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in regular exchanges of attacks, resulting in the deaths of at least 81 individuals on the Lebanese side, including 59 Hezbollah fighters, according to an AFP tally. The situation is further exacerbating an already volatile region.