In a brazen escalation, a barrage of at least 15 rockets rained down from Lebanon, targeting Israel's Haifa Bay region, according to the IDF. While Israel’s air defenses intercepted several of the incoming rockets, direct impacts were identified in several areas, sparking alarms in Acre and the Krayot region. Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage, yet the attack underscores a tense uptick in cross-border hostilities that shows no sign of abating.
UAV Incursion Exposes Gaps in Israel’s Air Defense Network
Simultaneously, another critical incident emerged when an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Lebanon struck an aviation facility in Nahariya. Notably, the IDF reported that the drone slipped past Israel’s radar defenses, only appearing on military screens moments before impact. The drone strike resulted in minor physical damage, evidenced by images of broken windows and a punctured metal roof. This incident has prompted an intensive investigation within the IDF, as military officials seek to understand how a breach of this magnitude could occur within Israel’s highly developed air defense network.
🔴 𝗜𝗦𝗥𝗔𝗘𝗟 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗞
— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) October 30, 2024
Hezbollah rocket wounds two near Metula
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧▸ https://t.co/hDoF4Rv5Go
Video: The wounded arrive at Rambam Hosp., Haifa pic.twitter.com/oWKCEqOIgr
The UAV infiltration wasn’t the only breach today. A separate rocket attack on Metula injured two Israeli citizens, further rattling communities across Israel’s northern frontier. As the IDF works to understand and reinforce vulnerabilities exposed by recent events, the country’s northern defenses are on heightened alert, prepared to counter Hezbollah's ongoing incursions with intensified force.
Defense Minister Gallant Declares Hezbollah Rocket Arsenal “Decimated” by 80%
In response to the intensified threat, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant addressed officers at the IDF Northern Command, offering a detailed update on Israel’s strategic countermeasures against Hezbollah’s entrenched rocket systems. According to Gallant, Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal—a long-standing concern with an estimated pre-war count of approximately 50,000 rockets—has now been reduced by an astonishing 80%, slashing their available rocket count to a mere 10,000.
Red alerts as of 12:00 today, October 30, 2024:
— ILRedAlert (@ILRedAlert) October 30, 2024
🔸 Red alerts: 122 (80 rocket alerts, 42 UAV alerts) in 8 regions.
🔸 Unique areas with sirens: 90
⭕️ Confrontation Line — Rosh HaNikra (×6), Betzet (×5), Kfar Yuval, Nahariya (×2), Kfar Giladi, Lehman (×8), Shlomi (×2), Tel Hai,… pic.twitter.com/PF7QD8GNhV
“The achievements of the IDF in Lebanon are extremely impressive,” Gallant declared. “We have eliminated their chain of command and control, and the estimated missile and rocket capability they have left is at 20% of their pre-war numbers.”
This announcement marks a critical milestone in Israel’s northern campaign against Hezbollah, a campaign aimed at dismantling not only the group's rocket arsenals but its organizational and logistical command structures. The preemptive strikes against Hezbollah have likely devastated its capabilities, with analysts suggesting that Hezbollah’s long-term combat effectiveness has been severely undermined.
Hezbollah's Arsenal: Shattered Yet Persistent Threat
Hezbollah’s pre-war combined stockpile of rockets and mortars was estimated at a staggering 150,000. While mortars account for a shorter-range threat, their numbers also appear drastically diminished due to IDF operations. IDF intelligence assessments suggest that Hezbollah’s remaining mortars have likely dwindled to less than half of their original count, further degrading their ability to launch sustained attacks.
JUST IN ⚡️
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) October 29, 2024
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reports that Hezbollah now holds only about 20% of the rocket and missile arsenal it possessed before the conflict.
“I estimate their remaining capacity at roughly 20%, and it’s no longer organized as it once was, meaning Hezbollah can’t… pic.twitter.com/5ZkQNs6XqH
Israel's Determined Response
As Hezbollah continues its aggressive posturing, Israel’s swift and unyielding response highlights its commitment to neutralizing threats from the north. With continued attacks exposing gaps in air defenses and posing potential risks to Israeli citizens, the IDF’s focus remains resolute: to thwart Hezbollah’s assault capabilities and maintain strategic superiority along the Lebanese border.
The latest assaults mark a critical moment in this ongoing conflict, intensifying pressure on both military and civilian sectors in Israel’s northern regions. With international attention on Israel’s operational success, the IDF and Israeli leadership face the dual challenge of defending the homeland and safeguarding regional stability, ensuring that Hezbollah’s weakened arsenal poses no lasting threat to Israel’s security and sovereignty.
