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Hezbollah launched a combined rocket and drone attack on northern Israel on April 17, wounding 14 Israeli soldiers and four other people, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. The assault targeted the largely Bedouin town of Arab al-Aramshe, which is located directly on the border and which Hezbollah has frequently attacked for the past six months.
Footage of the attack by the Iranian-backed terrorist group showed a drone targeting the community center in the town. “At least four rockets managed to pierce through air defenses before hitting the community center and a car, injuring one of the passengers. The IDF responded with artillery fire targeting the sources of the rocket launches,” Israel’s Ynet media reported. Hezbollah took responsibility for the attack, claiming it was a response to Israel’s elimination of key Hezbollah terrorists on April 16. Hezbollah has bolstered its attacks on Israel in the wake of the October 7 massacre carried out by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel.
Expert Analysis
“While Israel easily has the upper hand over Hezbollah, it must not get nonchalant. The more the Lebanese group loses leaders, the more it will surveil Israeli border communities and plan sophisticated strikes in retaliation.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO
“Hezbollah’s drones, missiles and rockets continue to pose a deadly threat to northern Israel. Hezbollah’s attack on the community of Arab al-Aramshe on April 17 illustrates the Iranian-backed terrorist group’s attempt to terrorize Israeli civilian communities in northern Israel. Israel has been forced to evacuate up to 80,000 people along the border due to the attacks. Hezbollah must be deterred from further attacks and its forces should be removed from the border so they cannot continue to pose an immediate threat.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow
“Hezbollah’s mass casualty attack on northern Israel serves as a stark reminder of how a single event has the potential to escalate a conflict that has been mostly contained to the border area. Despite its continued efforts to harass the IDF and civilian infrastructure over the last six months, Hezbollah has not been successful in seriously impeding Israel’s military operations in Gaza and other arenas.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal
Hezbollah Targets IDF Military Bases in Northern Israel
Immediately prior to the attack on Arab al-Aramshe, Hezbollah targeted an IDF military base in northern Israel, the pro-Iranian Al-Mayadeen media reported on April 17. Hezbollah claimed it used a Burkan missile in an attack on the headquarters of the IDF’s 91st Division in Biranit. Hezbollah has used its new Burkan rocket — a projectile that carries a heavy warhead of up to 1,000 pounds and has a range of around six miles — on numerous occasions over the last six months. The previous day, Hezbollah attacked northern Israel with two kamikaze drones, which struck areas near Beit Hillel. Hezbollah and other terrorist groups have launched more than 3,100 rockets, missiles, and drones at Israel since October 7.
