Israeli airstrikes target southern Lebanon towns

Several towns in southern Lebanon were targeted by Israeli airstrikes on Saturday following the launch of rockets from Lebanon toward northern Israel.

The Lebanese National News Agency NNA confirmed that the northwestern area of the town of Yahmour al-Shakif in the Nabatieh region was hit by intermittent Israeli artillery fire.

The strikes also targeted the outskirts of the towns of Arnoun and Kfar Tibnit.

NNA further noted that the Israeli military fired artillery shells at the town of Khiam, while a rocket hit the town of Houla.

Israeli forces also launched machine gun fire toward areas along the border, including Houla, Markaba, and Kfar Kila.

This escalation came after the Israeli military vowed to respond “forcefully” to rocket fire from Lebanon directed at northern Israel earlier on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Israel's military claimed it had intercepted three rockets, which it said had been fired from Lebanon towards the Israeli settlement of Metula in northern Israel.

The rocket fire from Lebanon marks the first such incident since the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect.

A fragile ceasefire had also been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah, that escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities reported nearly 1,100 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, which killed at least 85 people and injured more than 280.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.