Hezbollah Launches Rocket Barrage on Israel; Iran Denies Isfahan Blast
A year after the Hamas attack on Israel ignited the Gaza war, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. This strike coincided with memorials and protests marking the first anniversary of the October 7 attack, as tensions in West Asia escalate, raising fears of a broader conflict.
As Israel braced for a possible expansion of its offensive into Lebanon, reports surfaced about an explosion near Isfahan, Iran. However, officials from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base promptly denied these reports early Tuesday.
The Israeli Defence Forces stated, “Tomorrow marks a year since Hezbollah dragged the region into a multi-front war and began their constant attacks on Israeli civilians.” Just before midnight on October 8, Hezbollah launched projectiles toward central Israel. They claimed to have targeted a military base south of Haifa with “Fadi 1” missiles and also struck Tiberias, located 65 km away.
On Monday, Israeli military sources reported around 190 projectiles entering its territory, resulting in at least 12 injuries. In retaliation, Israel’s air force carried out extensive bombings of Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, leading to the deaths of two Israeli soldiers, bringing the total military fatalities in Lebanon to 11. Since Hezbollah’s attacks began last year in solidarity with Hamas, around 2,000 Lebanese have reportedly died.
While Israel described its ground operations in Lebanon as “localized and targeted,” these efforts have gradually intensified over the past week. In Washington, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump all marked the anniversary of Hamas’ attack, underscoring the ongoing impact of the conflict.
