The IDF struck dozens of Hezbollah rocket launchers and a command center from which unidentified terrorists were operating in southern Lebanon on Saturday after Israel intercepted rockets fired from across the border.
Hezbollah denied responsibility for Saturday’s strikes, saying it had “no link” to the rocket launches and that it remained committed to the ceasefire.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
An Israeli official said the identity of those who fired the rockets had not been confirmed.
Six rockets were fired, the official said, three of which crossed into Israel and were intercepted over Metulla.
Later in the day, the IDF announced a second round of strikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets.
Lebanon warns of resuming war
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would respond to the rockets fired from Lebanon. “We will not tolerate attacks on Galilee communities from Lebanon. Our commitment to their security stands firm – that is exactly what will be,” he said.
“Metulla and Beirut will be treated the same. The Lebanese government is fully responsible for any fire originating from its territory. I have instructed the IDF to respond accordingly.”
Following Katz’s statements, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment. Afterward, the military noted that the IDF would respond severely to attack and that Lebanon bears responsibility for breaking the agreement.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned on Saturday of the potential renewal of military operations in the south of the country.
“All security and military measures must be taken to show that Lebanon decides on matters of war and peace,” he said.
The Lebanese Army updated that it had discovered the launchers used in the attack and dismantled them. The army later told Al Jazeera, “There are no clear signs of the entity responsible for launching the rockets” and that they were investigating the origins of the strike.
Ophir Falk, a foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Reuters, “We expect Lebanon to take care of its part of the agreement.
“The IDF will do whatever it takes to enforce the ceasefire and to make sure that our civilians can get back home safely and securely,” Falk said.
Lebanon’s state news agency reported Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages in the country’s south, including border towns and hilltops around eight km. inside Lebanese territory.
Two people were killed and eight were wounded by the strikes, state news agency NNA said, quoting Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
There were no reports of casualties in Israel.
In Gaza, the Hamas Health Ministry said five Palestinians had been killed, including a child, in incidents in Beit Lahiya and Gaza City in the north of the enclave.
The IDF said a number of terrorists in a vehicle were identified approaching its troops in northern Gaza who “posed a threat to them,” and the military struck them.
An airstrike on the city of Rafah, which abuts Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, killed two Palestinians, Gazan medics said. The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, Zamir appointed an external team to review and implement lessons from the October 7 attack, the military announced Saturday evening.
Composed of senior reservist officers, it will review and implement the findings of the October 7 investigation conducted by the IDF.
The team will be led by Maj.-Gen. Sami Turgeman, and its members will include the following: reserve generals and colonels: Maj.-Gen. Eli Sharvit, Maj.-Gen. Amikam Norkin, Maj.-Gen. Yossi Baidatz, Brig.-Gen. Yuval Bazak, Brig.-Gen. Ofer Levi, Brig.-Gen. Meir Finkel, Brig.-Gen. Yom-Tov Tamir, Col. Avi Eliyahu, Col. Talya Lankry, Col. Beni De-Levi, Col. Gila Goldrat, and Lt.-Col. Livnat Bar David.
According to the military, the team was selected based on “their extensive experience and deep familiarity with various military fields, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives.”
Turgeman ran the Southern Command between 2013 and 2015 and, as such, he is seen as an expert in the area. He was already appointed in early March, but the rest of the team was only chosen recently.
A number of outcomes could come from the probes.
Turgeman could find that IDF Intelligence Chief Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder and some other officers who had been promoted failed in their duties on October 7 and should lose their posts.
Another possibility is that Turgeman could look at October 7 with a wider lens, going beyond the IDF, especially since the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) report on the disaster is out now.
He could also recommend more changes to the IDF than what Halevi suggested after his probes.
It is unclear how long Turgeman will take to do his review – a few months or much longer.
The team will analyze the findings of the investigation, focusing on the core general staff-level reviews, assess the conclusions drawn, and evaluate the lessons learned.
The team will also develop mechanisms and processes to integrate the lessons into the IDF’s procedures, conduct additional reviews where necessary, and, if required, recommend reinvestigating specific focal points.
Initial conclusions will be presented to Zamir in the next several weeks, followed by a plan for the implementation of lessons, with ongoing monitoring of their adoption at various levels.
In recent weeks, the IDF completed its investigation process regarding the events of October 7, 2023, which included gathering materials and collecting testimonies from civilians, soldiers, and commanders who participated in the fighting.