By Nakiwala Barbra
Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon In a surge of violence, two separate rocket attacks by Hezbollah killed seven people in northern Israel on Thursday, marking the deadliest day in months along the Israel-Lebanon border.
The strikes hit agricultural areas near the town of Metula, on Israel’s northern border, and Kibbutz Afek, outside Haifa, according to Israeli officials.
The first attack claimed the lives of five people – four Thai agricultural workers and a local farmer, identified by media as Omer Weinstein, a father of four from Kibbutz Dafna. They were working near Metula, close to the border with Lebanon, when the rockets struck. Later, a mother and her adult son, Mina and Karmi Hasson, were killed while harvesting olives near Kibbutz Afek.
Over 50 projectiles targeted the Galilee region, with Israel’s defense forces intercepting some but others hitting open fields. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but despite life-saving efforts, both Mina and Karmi were pronounced dead in the olive grove.
The intensifying conflict has sparked regional concern, as a UN peacekeeping base housing Irish troops was also struck by rocket fire, reportedly causing minimal damage and no injuries. Irish officials condemned the incident, calling for protection for international peacekeepers under international law.
Meanwhile, in response to the attacks, Israel intensified its operations in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military struck numerous Hezbollah sites across Lebanon and continued ground operations aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s weapons and infrastructure. In retaliation, Lebanese officials reported that Israeli air strikes killed six paramedics and additional civilians in areas around Baalbek.
The recent escalation, triggered by a nearly year-long series of cross-border skirmishes linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, has resulted in widespread displacement in both Lebanon and northern Israel. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced within Lebanon, with Lebanese authorities reporting over 2,800 fatalities since the conflict intensified. Israeli officials have confirmed at least 60 deaths from Hezbollah strikes on northern Israel and the Golan Heights.
In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. envoys Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk to discuss a potential ceasefire. However, Netanyahu insisted that any resolution must ensure Israel’s ability to “thwart any threat” from Hezbollah to protect northern Israeli communities impacted by the violence.
