Conflicts & War

Tensions rise as Hezbollah, Israel exchange fire

Jerusalem/Beirut, Aug 6 (EFE).- The Lebanese Shia organization Hezbollah on Friday said it fired “dozens” of missiles from Lebanon into the Golan Heights in Israel, which retaliated with artillery fire.

The barrage was directed at Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms region, which is territory disputed between Lebanon and the Jewish state.

In a statement, the militants said the attack was a “response to Israeli airstrikes on open land in the areas of Al Jarmak and Al Shauakir on Thursday night”.

Israeli authorities said most of the 122-millimeter projectiles were intercepted by missile defence systems and fell on uninhabited land, in the sixth rocket launch from Lebanese territory against Israel in little over three months.

On Thursday, Israel carried out airstrikes in Lebanon for the first time since 2006 in response to rockets launched from the south of the country the day before. No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attacks yet.

Israeli military authorities said its airstrikes targeted areas where the projectiles had been fired from.

The United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expressed concern for the growing escalation of the conflict on Friday and called on everyone to immediately cease fire.

“This is a very dangerous situation, with escalatory actions seen on both sides over the past two days,” said UNIFIL on Twitter.

Israel and Lebanon are still technically at war, although a ceasefire has been in force since 2006 between the two countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with each other.

Low-intensity skirmishes have raised tensions sporadically along the border in the past few years, with no serious escalation of violence so far.

Tensions increased Friday as Lebanon struggles with worsening financial and political crises, which Israel fears could encourage Hezbollah and other armed groups to spark a new conflict.

The Lebanese government announced Thursday that it will issue a complaint at the United Nations over the Israeli airstrikes. EFE

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