In an unprecedented and devastating assault, Hezbollah launched a coordinated and widespread attack on northern Israel, firing a staggering 75 rockets in several relentless barrages. The civilian communities and military bases in the Galilee and Golan Heights bore the brunt of this brutal onslaught.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that dozens of rockets were intercepted, preventing further catastrophe. However, the severity of the attack cannot be overstated. In a decisive counterstrike, an Israeli Air Force fighter jet obliterated a Hezbollah launcher in the Yiron area, which was primed to launch additional rockets into Israeli territory.
š“ Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets at northern Israel today
ā Israel ×ש×Ø×× (@Israel) May 17, 2024
Today, the terrorist organization Hezbollah fired around 75 missiles from Lebanon towards Israel.
Dozens were intercepted.
We will take every measure to protect Israelis from terrorismpic.twitter.com/ZLePjjUMat
Despite the IDF's efforts, two individuals sustained minor injuries amidst the chaos. The barrage, comprising dozens of rockets, originated from multiple locations, including the Golan Heights, Mount Dov, and extending all the way to the Western Galilee. The sheer scale and coordination of the attacks are unprecedented in recent history, triggering widespread alarm and activating alerts for hostile aircraft incursions across several locations.
The Merom HaGalil Regional Council area experienced direct hits, with one house struck by a rocket, resulting in significant damage but, fortunately, no further injuries. Hezbollah brazenly claimed responsibility for this latest onslaught, boasting about firing 50 Katyusha rockets at a military base near Katzrin and targeting another military post within Israel.
Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah shoots 75 rockets at Northern Israel. Wounded civilians and damage reported. pic.twitter.com/RYbdUVD9mF
ā Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll (@skjask) May 17, 2024
In response to this escalating threat, the Merom HaGalil Regional Council issued a stern statement: "We are witnessing an alarming escalation from Hezbollah. The rockets are no longer confined to border areas but are penetrating deeper into our territory. We demand that the IDF escalate its attacks and deliver significant damage to the Lebanese side. We cannot afford to lose control of the north."
Minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, did not mince words in his scathing criticism of the government's response. In a social media post, he condemned the cabinet's "absorption policy" in the north, calling it a disgrace. He highlighted the intolerable rocket fire on northern communities, unprecedented destruction, the creation of a security buffer zone within Israel, and the displacement of tens of thousands of Israelis. Wasserlauf described these events as a security and political failure, urging for the dissolution of the current cabinet and a complete overhaul of the failing policy.
The gravity of this situation demands immediate and decisive action to restore security and stability to northern Israel, ensuring the safety of its citizens and reinforcing Israeli deterrence against such audacious acts of aggression.
