Hezbollah Fires 250 Rockets at Israel After Beirut Airstrikes

Hezbollah Fires 250 Rockets at Israel in Retaliation for Deadly Airstrikes on Beirut
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Nov 24  – Hezbollah launched a barrage of 250 rockets at Israel on Sunday, many of which were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system. Sirens blared across most of the country as the projectiles fired by the militant group from southern Lebanon caused panic, injuring at least four people with shrapnel.

In a video obtained by Reuters, one of the rockets was seen exploding as it struck the roof of a building in the northern Israeli city of Nahariya. The escalation comes after a powerful Israeli airstrike on Saturday targeted Beirut, Lebanon, resulting in at least 29 deaths and significant destruction. Israel’s military confirmed that it planned to continue targeting Hezbollah facilities in southern Beirut.

Israeli Strikes Target Hezbollah Command Centers in Southern Beirut
Israel’s military warned in advance that it would strike Hezbollah-controlled areas, including command centers in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it deliberately targeted command centers "embedded between civilian buildings." On Saturday, Israel launched one of its deadliest airstrikes on central Beirut, although it has not provided details on the specific targets.

Death Toll Rises Amid Continued Hostilities
Lebanon’s Health Ministry raised the death toll from Saturday’s airstrikes from 20 to 29, while the overall toll since the conflict began in October 2023 has reached 3,754. Meanwhile, the IDF did not comment on Saturday’s strike in Beirut or specify the nature of its targets.

Background to the Conflict
Israel has been in an ongoing military offensive against Hezbollah since September, following nearly a year of hostilities that were initially sparked by the Gaza war. In response, Hezbollah has launched numerous retaliatory rocket attacks aimed at Israeli territory, intensifying the conflict.