IDF Strikes Dozens of Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon After Rockets Fired at Israeli Communities

Latest Developments

Rockets Fired from Lebanon: Six rockets were fired from Lebanon at the northern Israeli town of Metula on March 22. Three of the projectiles fell short and landed in Lebanese territory, while the other three were intercepted by Israel’s air defense array. There were no reports of injuries from the attack.
Hezbollah Denies Responsibility: Hours after the attack, the Iran-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah issued a statement denying responsibility for the rocket fire. The group reiterated “its commitment to the ceasefire agreement and stands behind the Lebanese state in addressing this dangerous Zionist escalation against Lebanon.”
IDF Returns Fire: The IDF said it “struck dozens of Hezbollah rocket launchers and a command center” in southern Lebanon in response to Saturday’s rocket attack against Metula. “The rocket fire launched this morning toward the Galilee constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the Israeli military said in a statement. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon that Israel “will not tolerate attacks on Galilee communities from Lebanon,” adding that “our commitment to their security stands firm.”

FDD Expert Response

“Hezbollah’s denial of responsibility for today’s rocket fire into Israel is unconvincing. Little happens in south Lebanon without the group’s approval or knowledge. Today’s events are yet another demonstration of the Lebanese Army’s and State’s continued inability and unwillingness to control all Lebanese territory. In light of this, and LAF’s subpar performance in implementing the terms of the ceasefire deal over the preceding months, it becomes increasingly implausible to believe Beirut is serious about restraining Hezbollah or other armed groups in its territory, or that it even can.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow

“Several scenarios may explain the rocket fire in northern Israel. Palestinian terrorist groups such as Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired rockets under the auspices of Hezbollah in response to IDF operations in Gaza. Alternatively, Hezbollah fired the rockets as a warning to Israel, signaling its willingness to escalate over Gaza or Israel’s limited presence in southern Lebanon.”— Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Hezbollah may have denied firing the projectiles into Israel, but the Iran-backed group has a history of using plausible deniability—often relying on affiliated groups, primarily Palestinian factions in Lebanon, to claim attacks and shield itself from direct retaliation. One thing is certain: no one operates in southern Lebanon without Hezbollah’s approval. If today’s attack wasn’t carried out by Hezbollah itself, it was undoubtedly greenlit by them, and they must face the consequences.”