רמה כ ז מל ו תשר מה ו ד י ע י ן ( למ מ" ) רמה כרמ כ ז ז מל מה ו י תשר ד עד ע מל מה ו ד ו י ד ע י י ע ן י ן ו ל ( רט למ ו מ" ר ) כרמ ז מה י עד מל ו ד י ע י ן ו ל רט ו ר

Tension on Israel's Northern Border fires rockets at Israel for the first time since the Second War (2006)

August 9, 2021

Overview

On two separate occasions this past week rockets were fired from south Lebanon at

Israel. On August 4, 2021, three rockets were fired at the region of Qiryat Shemonah,

Israel's northernmost city. In response Israel fired artillery at the launch sites. In an exceptional response, Israeli Air Force aircraft also attacked terrorist targets in south Lebanon. It was the first time Israeli aircraft had attacked south Lebanon in eight years, and one of the few times since the end of Second Lebanon War (August 2006). In response to the aerial attacks on August 6, 2021, Hezbollah fired a barrage of about 20 rockets at the northern Golan Heights. The rocket fire this past week was the outcome of the increasing tension along the Israel- Lebanon border. Since the end of Operation Guardian of the Walls (May 2021) there have been three instances of rocket fire from south Lebanon into Israel territory, and there were three attacks during the operation itself (See the Appendix). Of the six, the rocket fire on August 6, 2021, was exceptional by being relatively large, carried out during daylight hours and having Hezbollah officially claim responsibility for it. It was the first time Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket fire since the Second Lebanon War (So far, every instance of rocket fire since 2006 has been allegedly "carried out by Palestinian organizations.") Returning after firing rockets, the vehicle on which the battery of rocket launchers was mounted fell afoul of residents of the south Lebanon Druze village of Chouya, who were furious that Hezbollah had endangered them by firing its rockets from a site close to the village. They handed the vehicle and four Hezbollah terrorist operatives over to the Lebanese army (Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed four other operatives were not handed over to the army). Hezbollah announcements and statements from Nasrallah presented an "equation" of what the organization has regarded, since the end of the Second Lebanon War, as mutual Israeli-Hezbollah deterrence, apparently based on the principle that every Israeli aerial attack at Lebanon will be answered with a Hezbollah rocket attack. Thus an Israeli aerial

129-21 2 attack on an open area will be answered with a Hezbollah rocket attack on an open area. Nasrallah explained that if Hezbollah did not respond to Israel its lack of response could be interpreted as accepting a change in the so-called "equation," which might encourage Israel to continue attacking military and "civilian" targets in Lebanon. Therefore, he claimed, it was the organization's "duty" to respond and make it clear to Israel that as far as Hezbollah was concerned, the variables of the "equation" had not been changed. Nasrallah said they had fired 122mm rockets (not precise missiles) at open areas and not at civilian targets [sic]. He stressed that he had no plans for an escalation. His response might also indicate that Hezbollah is aware of the growing public criticism of the organization given the current situation in Lebanon, and was therefore careful in its response. However, Nasrallah made sure to deny any connection between the situation in Lebanon and the nature of Hezbollah's response. Hezbollah Rocket Fire

Rocket fire targets Qiryat Shemonah

On the afternoon of August 4, 2021, three rockets were fired at Israel from south Lebanon. Sirens sounded in the northern Israeli city of Qiryat Shemonah, the Tel Hai Technological College and Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, all near the Lebanese border. Two rockets fell inside Israeli territory and the third fell inside Lebanon. The rockets that fell inside Israel landed near a residential area of Qiryat Shemonah and caused several fires (IDF spokesman, August 4, 2021). The Lebanese media reported five rockets fired west of the village of Marjaayoun, three of them falling inside Lebanese territory near the village.

Fire on the outskirts of the northern Israeli city of Qiryat Shemonah caused by rocket fire from Lebanon (Twitter account of Yunis al-Zaatari, August 4, 2021).

No organization claimed responsibility for the rocket fire. A Lebanese security source assumed the rockets had been fired by "Palestinian organizations" in Lebanon. The IDF

129-21 3 assigned responsibility to Lebanon, as having sovereignty over its territory. Immediately following the rocket fire the IDF fired artillery along the Israeli-Lebanese border (IDF spokesman, August 4, 2021). Israel made it clear its response would include more than artillery fire. On the night of August 4, 2021, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked the regions from which the rockets had been fired, as well as installations used by Hezbollah for terrorist activity. In addition, the IDF attacked sites from which rockets had previously been fired (IDF spokesman, August 5, 2021). According to the IDF, it was the most extensive attack carried out in Lebanon in recent years, and targeted 112 Hezbollah and Lebanese government installations (IDF spokesman, August 6, 2021).

IDF attacks in Lebanon. Left: Attack on a Hezbollah facility. Right: Attack on a rocket launching site (IDF spokesman, August 5, 2021).

Right: Damage done to a road by the Israeli Air Force attacks, resulting in its closure (Twitter account of Ali Shoeib, correspondent for the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar TV station, August 5, 2021). Left: Additional documentation of the results of the Israeli Air Force (Facebook page of Online Metn, August 5, 2021).

The Arab media reported that Israel fired waves of artillery over a period of hours. According to a Lebanese army report, the IDF fired 92 shells; according to other reports, 70 shells. The artillery fire caused fires in wooded areas which burned for several hours (al- Arabiya, August 4, 2021). After the aerial attacks the Arab media reported Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked in the region northeast of Nabatiyeh. Al-Mayadeen reported that explosions could be heard throughout south Lebanon. Al-Manar correspondent Ali Shoeib reported that

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Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked open, unpopulated areas twice, and that no casualties had been reported (al-Mayadeen, al-Manar, August 5, 2021).

Fires caused by IDF artillery fire in wooded areas (Hezbollah military wing information website, August 4, 2021).

Lebanese President Michel Aoun condemned the Israel attack, calling it a gross, dangerous violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. He said Israel had aggressive intentions which it was planning to escalate, along with its ongoing threats against Lebanese sovereignty. After receiving reports from the Lebanese army, which had investigated the rocket launches, he said a complaint to the UN Security Council was a necessary step for deterring Israel (Twitter account of the office of the Lebanese president, August 5, 2021). Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Israel's attacks on south Lebanon expressed the country's essence, which was founded on aggression undeterred by condemnation, and that Israel did not understand any language except "resistance" (Lebanon Debate, August 6, 2021). A Tripartite emergency meeting was held at UNIFIL headquarters in Ras al-Naqoura, on the coast of south Lebanon. It was chaired by UNIFIL Commander Stefano Del Col and attended by representatives of the IDF and the Lebanese army, which included a delegation of

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Lebanese army officers headed by the Lebanese government coordinator to the UN. The Lebanese called on the international community and the UN to exert pressure on Israel to "end its aggression," and condemned its increasing attacks on Lebanon and the use of Lebanese air space to attack in (Lebanese News Agency, August 5, 2021). UNIFIL said in an announcement that its forces continued their full involvement along with other bodies using their channels of communication and coordination, adding that they were cooperating with the Lebanese army to ensure immediate monitoring of the area and to reinforce the security along the border (the "blue line") (UNIFIL website, August 4, 2021). Rocket fire targets the northern Golan Heights

On the morning of August 6, 2021, a barrage of at least 19 rockets was fired at the northern Golan Heights. Ten were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system, six fell in open areas in the Har Dov region, and three fell inside Lebanon. No casualties were reported (IDF spokesman, August 6, 2021). Sirens sounded in the northern Golan Heights and Upper Galilee. The rockets were launched from a multi-barreled rocket launcher situated near the Druze village of Chouya in the eastern sector of south Lebanon. In response, IDF artillery attacked the source of the rocket fire (IDF spokesman, August 6, 2021). The al-Manar network reported an artillery attack on the Sheba Farms and the village of al-Habbariyeh. The Lebanese army reported ten artillery shells near the village of al-Sadana and three near the villages of Bastra and Chouba, causing fires. The Lebanese army also reported it had taken steps, in coordination with a UNIFIL force, to restore calm. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, which was carried out, exceptionally, during daylight hours. Shortly after the rocket fire Hezbollah also issued a video documenting the attack. According to Hezbollah, at 11:15, in response to an IDF aerial attack, the Shaheed Ali Kamel and Muhammad Qassem Tahan squads fired 122mm rockets at open areas in the region of the IDF posts in the Sheba Farms. (Note: Ali Kamel was a Hezbollah terrorist operative killed in an Israeli attack near the airport on July 20, 2020. Muhammad Kassem Tahan was a Hezbollah terrorist operative killed on May 14, 2021, while trying to cross the border into Israeli territory.) The Arab media quoted a Hezbollah source as saying that the organization did not want an escalation and had attacked in response to "Israeli aggression" which could not remain unanswered (al-Nashra, August 6, 2021.

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Pictures from a Hezbollah video documenting rocket fire at the Sheba Farms (Hezbollah military wing information website, August 6, 2021).

Picture showing the rockets fell near an IDF post in the Sheba Farms (Hezbollah military wing information website, August 6, 2021).

Immediately after the Hezbollah attack the squad that launched the rockets left the area and drove through the Druze village of Chouya. Dozens of local residents surrounded the vehicle and its four passengers, attacking them verbally and physically because they had endangered the villagers by launching their rockets in proximity to the village. In a video documenting the event a local resident can be heard saying that "the whole world will see how Hezbollah fires its rockets next to our homes so that the IDF will attack us." Somewhat later Lebanese army forces arrived, confiscated the vehicle and took custody of the four Hezbollah operatives. The Lebanese army issued a formal statement regarding the vehicle

129-21 7 and its passengers (Lebanon 24, Lebanon Debate, August 6, 2021). According to the August 6, 2021 edition of the Lebanese newspaper al-Nahar, Hezbollah carried out the rocket fire attack and wanted to keep its participation a secret, and the Druze had exposed them.

Residents of the Druze village of Chouya in south Lebanon stop the vehicle carrying the artillery that fired rockets at Israel and detain the operatives of the launching squad (Right: Al-Nahar, August 6, 2021; Left: Twitter account of al-Arabiya, August 6, 2021). The IDF spokesman reported that the operative in the picture was Ali Kanaj, who was wearing ordinary civilian clothing to conceal his connection with Hezbollah (IDF spokesman in , August 8, 2021).

The villagers were severely criticized by people who claimed the Hezbollah operatives had been detained by collaborators of the South Lebanon Army (al-Akhbar, August 6, 2021). During an interview Former Lebanese Ambassador Hicham Hamdan said the Chouya villagers had performed an "honorable, noble act." It sent, he said, a message to the international community and the UNIFIL forces that the people who lived in south Lebanon were not happy with the current situation of Iranian military occupation. He said they had broken through the barrier of fear, and instances of local activity against Hezbollah and its policies would increase (al-Arabiya, August 7, 2021). After the incident in Chouya, Hezbollah issued a statement claiming that it had responded to the IDF attack in Lebanon by attacking Israeli posts in the Sheba Farms with rockets launched from wooded areas far from the local population, done to ensure the villagers' safety. In another statement intended to stifle criticism, Hezbollah claimed that some of the local media reported the IDF had attacked, both from the air and with artillery, the locations from which Hezbollah had fired rockets. The reports, the statement claimed, were

129-21 8 completely false and Israel had neither attacked from the air nor fired artillery (al-Akhbar, August 6, 2021). Former senior Shi'ite Amal figure Muhammad Obeid attempted to justify Hezbollah by saying that when Hezbollah operatives act they take into account that they have to operate far from populated areas. He claimed the rockets had been fired from an area beyond the limits of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and that no UNIFIL forces had been present (al-Jadeed, August 7, 2021). The Lebanese Army said in a statement that after a number of rockets had been fired from Lebanon at the Sheba Farms the IDF fired artillery shells into Lebanese territory. Ten of them fell in the region of the village of al-Sadana and three in the region of the villages of Bastra and Chouba, setting several fires. According to the statement, a Lebanese army unit detained four men who fired rockets in Chouya and confiscated the rocket launcher.1 Reportedly, Lebanese army units were deployed on the ground and were taking the necessary security measures, in coordination with UNIFIL, to restore calm (Lebanon Debate, August 6, 2021). It was later reported that among other measures, reinforcements would be sent to tense, "mixed" areas (Lebanon 24, August 8, 2021). UNIFIL said in a statement that its forces were operating with both sides using every liaison mechanism, and there was both formal and informal coordination aimed at preserving calm to make it possible to hold an investigation (UNIFIL website, August 6, 2021). Stefano Del Col, the UNIFIL force commander, called on the parties involved to halt their fire and act with maximum restraint to avoid additional escalation (UNIFIL website, Lebanon Debate, August 6, 2021). Responses

Hezbollah

The Hezbollah and Iranian-affiliated media praised the rocket fire, claiming Israel's intelligence had again failed to correctly assess the position of Hezbollah and the "resistance." They claimed Hezbollah had profited from Israel's incorrect assessment that the situation in the Lebanese arena would make it possible for Israel to violate the rules of engagement and the "equation."

1 The Hezbollah operatives who fired the rockets were apparently released later. The social media noted the names of Ali Kajak from the village of Tebnit and Ali Hassan Hashem from Ayn al-Tina who were "warmly received" after returning from an "action."

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Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave a speech to mark the 15th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War. He related to the events on the Israeli border by saying the following (al-Manar, August 7, 2021): On August 5, 2021, "an anonymous group" had fired rockets at Israel and Israel had responded with an artillery attack. Hezbollah planned to let UNIFIL deal with the incident but during the night Israel carried out an aerial attack, "exploiting the situation in Lebanon." Therefore, Hezbollah had to respond [sic]. Hezbollah responded with rocket fire for the first time in 15 years. The rocket fire was directly related to the Israeli attacks in south Lebanon and based on the "old equations" Israel was trying to change. Firing the rockets sent the message to Israel, Nasrallah claimed, that if Israel attacked open areas in response Hezbollah would attack open areas, and therefore, according to the "equation," every attack would be met with a "fitting and proportional" response. Hezbollah fired 122mm Katyusha rockets from the Shi'ite villages and not precise missiles because they wanted to hit a specific unpopulated military area in the Sheba Farms, to avoid an escalation. Therefore, geography and military action forced them to fire the rockets from sites near the Druze villages. In addition, "circumstances" ("the military regime," i.e., the UNIFIL forces) prevented Hezbollah from firing rockets near Shi'ite villages. The fact that this time they only fired at open areas did not mean that a future aerial attack would have a similar response, and could result in an attack on the Galilee or Golan. He claimed Hezbollah had not yet settled accounts with Israel over the death of the Hezbollah operatives [i.e., Ali Kamal and Muhammad Qassem Tahan], and Hezbollah's response would come at the proper time and in the proper context. Naming the shaheeds who carried out the rocket fire did not mean the incident had ended. He called the incident in Chouya "embarrassing," claiming that in Hezbollah assessment the villagers had attacked the Hezbollah operatives. He called on the security forces to investigate who had carried out the attack and to bring them to trial.

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Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gives a speech to mark the 15th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War (Twitter account of Ali Shoeib, correspondent for the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar TV station, August 7, 2021).

Sheikh Na'im Qassem, deputy head of Hezbollah, who attended the swearing-in of the new Iranian president in , called Hezbollah's rocket fire "a response to aggression." He claimed the entire world had seen the aggression, and it demanded a response. He said Israel had to understand it had to remain deterred, otherwise Hezbollah would be prepared to respond. He also said Israel had to understand that Lebanon was not "an open arena for settling its accounts and testing military capabilities." In light of recent events Hezbollah had come to the conclusion, he said, that the response had been fitting and would not lead to escalation, despite the fact that the organization was deployed and prepared in the field for the possibility (al-Mayadeen, August 6, 2021). The Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper al-Akhbar published an article entitled "Hezbollah established its red lines" which claimed that Hezbollah had successfully established the "equation" and rules of engagement of the southern front with Israel. Hezbollah, according to the article, had profited from Israel's mistaken assessment that in light of the situation in Lebanon it would be able to change the "rules and equation" (al-Akhbar, August 6, 2021). The Iranian Fars News Agency published an article entitled "Hezbollah slaps the enemy in the face – strategic messages at the right time," claiming that Hezbollah had "broken the equation" Israeli tried to enforce on it. Hezbollah had in fact enforced a new "equation" on Israel that would make it think "a thousand times" before it carried out a "stupid action against the resistance axis." According to the Iranian al-Alam website, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett received a "slap in the face" during his first lesson with Hezbollah. Hezbollah's response not only sent a deterrent message to Israel, informing it that Lebanon's security was a red line, but also made it clear to Israel that it would be surprised by a Hezbollah response (al-Alam, August 7, 2021).

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The Lebanese leadership

Lebanese interim Prime Minister Hassan Diab held a series of meetings in an effort to halt the escalation. He noted the need to restore calm and called on the UN to exert pressure on Israel to stop attacking Lebanese sovereignty and to force it to respect UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (Sawt International, August 6, 2021). Lebanese interim Foreign Minister Zina Aker called on the permanent Lebanese mission to the UN to lodge a complaint against Israel and to condemn its attack on Lebanon, which was a gross violation of Lebanese sovereignty, of the UN Charter, international law and UN Security Council resolutions, especially Resolution 1701 (Lebanese News Agency, August 6, 2021). Former Lebanese Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri criticized Hezbollah, saying that the use of south Lebanon as a stage for regional confrontations, whose results and consequences had not been considered, was a step into the unknown and put all of Lebanon under the threat of war. He said that putting the responsibility for war and peace with Israel into the hands of operatives who launched rockets was a prime example of a state that had abandoned its role and responsibilities (Lebanon 24, Sa'ad Hariri's Twitter account, August 6, 2021). There were also people who tried to blame Hezbollah for the tension along the border with Israel, a ploy to deflect attention from the events of the first anniversary of the explosion in the port of Beirut. For example, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, the Maronite Patriarch of Lebanon, said in a sermon that in situation in which a certain group decided on war or peace was unacceptable. He called on the Lebanese army to prevent rocket fire from Lebanese territory. His remarks led to a flood of criticism on the Hezbollah social networks, where he was accused of collaborating with Israel (Sawt Beirut International, Lebanon 24, August 8, 2021).

A response to the Patriarch, as seen on Twitter, August 8, 2021.

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The Palestinian terrorist organizations

Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rushed to congratulate Hezbollah. They formally expressed their support for the rocket fire and condemned Israel for attacking Lebanon. Hamas said they were sending their congratulations to Hezbollah and Lebanon, noting that the "resistance" was responding and breaking the "equations" Israel was trying to enforce on it, and establishing an "equation" of attack in return for attack. Hamas also said the combat had to remain open on all its fronts and that the "resistance to occupation" was the right of occupation peoples. Hamas stressed it supported the "resistance" in Lebanon and the Lebanese people in their struggle against Israel (Hamas website, August 6, 2021). Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem condemned the Israeli attack in Lebanon, claiming it was additional proof of Israel's "terrorist conduct" against states of the Arab nation and Arab people (Hamas website, August 5, 2021). The PIJ issued an announcement welcoming the response of Hezbollah ("the Islamic resistance in Lebanon") and stressing its right to resist the occupation, halt its aggression, not allow Israel ("the enemy") to enforce "equations" or change the rules of engagement, and to respond to [Israel's] "crimes" in every way (PIJ website, August 6, 2021). Senior PIJ figure Da'ud Shehab called Hezbollah's response a strong, deterrent message to Israel ("the enemy"), which would be repeated if Israel continued its actions. He said all the fronts were prepared for every possibility, and Israel had to understand that (Gaza al- A'an Facebook page, August 6, 2018). On another occasion he said the "resistance" in every location would not allow the enemy to change the rules of engagement they had reached by amassing achievements over the years (website of the Tabnak News Agency in Arabic, August 7, 2021). PIJ representative in Lebanon Ahsan Atiya praised Hezbollah's "response." He said the PIJ regarded itself as "fighting in the same trench as our Hezbollah brothers against the regional Zionist project," and that they could be part of every confrontation with Israel in Lebanon (Paltoday, August 7, 2021). Senior PIJ figure Jamil Alian said Israel was fully aware of its failure to fight on two fronts and would fail if it tried to confront the entire "resistance axis" at the same time. He added that what happened in the region, whether during Operation Guardian of the Walls, rocket fire from south Lebanon, or the Iranian show of force in the Persia Gulf or in the Atlantic proved the forces of the "resistance" and the "resistance axis" had the initiative. He claimed that the Middle East was quickly moving towards new arrangement which would be good for

129-21 13 the Palestinians and the "resistance" and bad for the American-Zionist axis, which was supported by Arab regimes promoting normalization. He claimed the new confrontation in south Lebanon was a continuation of Operation Guardian of the Walls/"The Sword of ." It included the confrontation and would not stop at the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem, the mountains in the Bayta region, Bayt Ummar and Nablus, or the 1948 borders, and would not stop at the border of south Lebanon (alqudsnews.net website, August 7, 2021).

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Appendix

Rockets fired at Israel during the past year

So far in 2021 there have been six instances of rockets fired at Israel from south Lebanon, a relatively large number since the Second Lebanon War. Rocket fire began in May 2021 during Operation Guardian of the Walls in the Gaza Strip, with three rocket attacks during the operation. No organization claimed responsibility for the first five attacks, which were apparently carried out by local Palestinian organizations in Lebanon. The exception was the attack of August 6, 2021, of about 20 rockets fired simultaneously from a multi-barreled rocket launcher. Hezbollah formally claimed responsibility for the attack. In all six attacks no casualties and only minor damages were reported. The rocket attacks from south Lebanon so far this year have been the following: On the evening of May 13, 2021, three rockets were fired from south Lebanon across the sea towards the coast of Israel (IDF spokesman, May 13, 2021). Hezbollah denied involvement. A security source told MTV that initial information pointed towards "Palestinian organizations" as being behind the rocket fire. The al-Nashra news website reported that in the assessment of several sources, the three rockets were fired from the village of Qlayleh in south Lebanon. On the evening of May 17, 2021, a barrage of about six rockets was fired from south Lebanon at Israel. Most of the rockets fell inside Lebanese territory. In response the IDF fired a number of shells at the source of the rocket fire. No organization claimed responsibility. Apparently "Palestinian organizations" in Lebanon were behind the rocket fire. On May 18, 2021, the Lebanese army located the rocket launchers. On the afternoon of May 19, 2021, four rockets were fired at Israel from the region of Sidiqin in south Lebanon. Two rockets fell into the sea. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system and another fell in the region of the northern Israeli Arab city of Shefaram. At the same time a barrage of rockets was fired from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli communities near the border. No organization claimed responsibility for the rocket fire. In response the IDF attacked the Lebanese coast south of Tyre and other locations in south Lebanon.

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Right: Rocket fired from Lebanon in the skies over the northern Israeli coastal city of Acre, more than 65 miles south of the Israel-Lebanon border. Left: Site of the rocket landing in the northern Israeli Arab city of Shefaram, about 25 miles south of the Israel-Lebanon border (QudsN Facebook page, May 19, 2021).

In the early morning hours of July 20, 2021, two rockets were fired at Israel from Lebanon. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system and the other fell in an open area. No casualties or damage were reported. The IDF responded with artillery fire at targets in south Lebanon. According to IDF sources, it is not known who was behind the rocket fire (IDF spokesman, July 20, 2021). The rockets were fired a few hours before Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was scheduled to visit northern Israel. UNIFIL forces reported that their systems had tracked the rocket launchers to the region village of Qlayleh in the western sector of south Lebanon. The Lebanese army reported finding three rocket launchers and a 122mm rocket in the Qlayleh region (UNIFIL website, al-Jadeed, July 20, 2021). On the afternoon of August 4, 2021, three rockets were fired at Israel from south Lebanon. Sirens were sounded in the northernmost Israeli city of Qiryat Shemonah, the Tel Hai Technical College and Kibbutz Kfar Giladi. Two rockets fell in Israeli territory and the third inside Lebanon. The rockets fell close to a residential area in Qiryat Shemonah and caused several fires (IDF spokesman, August 4, 2021). According to the Lebanese media, five rockets were fired from the south Lebanon village of Marjaayoun, three of them falling inside Lebanon in the Marjaayoun region. No organization claimed responsibility for the rocket fire and Lebanese security sources assumed "Palestinian organizations" were behind it. In response the IDF fired artillery. The Arab media reported that the IDF fired waves of artillery over a period of hours. Israel made it clear its response would include more than rocket fire. On the night of

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August 4, 2021, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked regions where rockets had been fired at Israel and installations used for terrorist activities against Israel. Israeli aircraft also attacked an area from which rockets had been fired in the past (IDF spokesman, August 5, 2021). According to the IDF, it was the most serious attack in Lebanon in recent years, targeting 112 Hezbollah and Lebanese government installations (IDF spokesman, August 6, 2021). On the morning of August 6, 2021, a barrage of about 20 rockets was fired at the northern Golan Heights. Ten rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system, six fell in open areas in the Har Dov region, three fell inside Lebanon. No casualties were reported (IDF spokesman, August 6, 2021). Sirens sounded in the northern Golan Heights and Upper Galilee. The rockets were fired from a multi-barrel launcher stationed dear the Druze village of Chouya in south Lebanon. In response to the rockets the IDF fired artillery at the sources of the rocket fire (IDF spokesman, August 6, 2021). The al-Manar network reported the artillery attacked the Sheba Farms and al-Habbariyeh. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.

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