The IDF struck a military building and terrorist infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in Qantara in southern Lebanon on Thursday night, eliminating several terrorists, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said on Friday morning.
The Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement announced on Friday morning that three of its members were killed in Israeli strikes. Shortly afterward, Hezbollah announced that two of its members were killed in the strikes as well.
The strikes came after Hezbollah fired a barrage of 25 rockets and anti-tank missiles toward Kiryat Shmona, with several projectiles falling within the city and some even hitting homes. No injuries were caused in the barrage.
Missiles were also fired toward several other towns in northern Israel on Thursday afternoon and evening, destroying a chicken coop and killing thousands of chickens in Margaliot.
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"Nearly 9,000 chickens went to waste, all of them died," said the owner of the coop, according to Maariv. "This is a huge economic loss - and an injury to the food security of the State of Israel. A chicken coop is a food factory for all intents and purposes - the damage is absolute and this will have negative consequences for the amount of eggs in the State of Israel."
The exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah come as tensions continue to rise between the two sides and both continue preparations for a possible war in the north.
Israeli home front prepares for war on the northern front
On Thursday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant convened the Supreme Emergency Economy Committee to discuss preparations for a possible war with Lebanon, including possible blackouts, possible issues transporting food, and evacuations of ill people from their homes to hospitals.
Gallant said during the discussion that he intends to hold a series of exercises to increase readiness for a possible war. The defense minister addressed the intensification of fighting along the border saying "Hezbollah went up half a click - we went up one step, but it's one step out of ten. We can attack not only at 20 km, but also at 50 km, and in Beirut and anywhere else, the IDF still has a very strong force, very, very significant."
The defense minister stressed that Israel doesn't want a war and prefers a diplomatic solution, but will go to war if there's no other choice.
"We have no interest in war but we must prepare. The planes that are currently flying over the skies of Lebanon have targets - and they know how to change the attack from place to place. In the event of a war, the price for the State of Israel will be heavy, but it will be catastrophic for Lebanon and Hezbollah. It is advisable that we take the old Roman insight that says: 'He who wants peace will prepare for war.'"
During the discussion, Shaul Goldstein, the direction general of Noga, the operator of Israel's electric grid, stated that "in the State of Israel there are several strategic sites whose damage could lead to long interruptions in the supply of electricity to the point of no supply for an extended period of time," according to N12.
Additionally during the meeting, Gallant instructed the Home Front Command to prepare a campaign to inform citizens about how to prepare for a war on the northern front.