Late on Sunday, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at the northern Israeli city of Haifa, injuring eight people and causing significant damage, according to Israeli authorities.
Around five rockets were fired, with one striking a roundabout near a supermarket and several apartment blocks in eastern Haifa.
The Israeli military reported that it is investigating why its air defense systems failed to intercept the incoming rockets.
Hezbollah claimed the attack was aimed at a military base south of Haifa in retaliation for the killing of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike last month.
Elsewhere, one person was injured in the town of Tiberias, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, after a separate rocket attack by Hezbollah.
In response, Israeli warplanes launched a new round of airstrikes on Beirut, targeting what the military described as Hezbollah positions.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed that a third division has been deployed in southern Lebanon as clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters continue in the region.
This latest escalation comes after over a year of cross-border fighting, initially sparked by Hezbollah’s support for Palestinian forces following Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023.
The situation has deteriorated steadily, with Hezbollah continuing its rocket attacks despite heavy losses.
According to the IDF, Hezbollah fired more than 135 rockets into northern Israel on Sunday alone. The strikes on Haifa followed air raid sirens that sounded in the Carmel and Bay areas at approximately 23:22 local time (20:22 GMT).
Videos from the scene show emergency services responding to damage caused by the attack. A 13-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man were among those treated for injuries, with the Magen David Adom ambulance service reporting moderate to serious shrapnel wounds.
Israel has vowed to secure the northern border and ensure the safety of thousands of displaced residents as the conflict with Hezbollah intensifies.