Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered an evacuation on Sunday for the communities near the Gaza Strip and for communities up north, according to Israeli media.
Gallant conveyed his gratitude to the authorities for their efforts in moving civilians from areas near the Gaza Strip. He further directed the institution to ready themselves for similar actions in the northern parts of Israel.
Two rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel, with the IDF responding with artillery fire toward southern Lebanon on Sunday morning, just hours after an exchange of fire between Hezbollah and the IDF in the Har Dov (Shebaa Farms) area.
The IDF around 7:15 a.m. on Sunday morning counter-attacked Hezbollah with artillery at positions from which the terror group fired on Israel just a few minutes before. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the mortar fire in an unusual official statement.
مواقع العدو الصهيوني في تلال كفرشوبا ومزارع شبعا تتعرض للقصفمدفعية العدو تقصف أطراف المنطقة pic.twitter.com/DOOQEjNptZ
— علي شعيب || Ali Shoeib (@alishoeib1970) October 8, 2023
A statement said that the IDF was ready for any multi-front attack scenario as it continues to fight with Gaza following Hamas' invasion of Israel's Gaza border villages Saturday morning.
Shortly afterward, the IDF struck a tent set up by Hezbollah in Israeli territory in the Shebaa Farms area earlier this year. Amid the IDF's strikes on Lebanon, two Lebanese citizens were injured, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
The attack on the tent resolves a several-month standoff in which the IDF had threatened to use force but had held off out of fear from Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah's threats that an attack on the tent would lead to a broader war. Awkwardly, the IDF has been trying to get the UN to convince Hezbollah to withdraw from the tentarea voluntarily for several months, with the terror group consistently refusing.
Hezbollah managed to re-erect the tent along the border later in the day, according to Lebanese reports.
Although Hezbollah stayed out of the fray all day Saturday, Sunday morning was the first sign that it might become more active, or at least try to put itself on the record as having fired a symbolic number of rockets against Israel.
Hezbollah claims responsibility, says it's ready to do more
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the mortar fire, stating that it targeted three sites belonging to the IDF in the Shebaa Farms area in northern Israel.
Hashem Safi Al Din, the head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, referenced the mortar fire on Sunday afternoon stating “the resistance sent a greeting this morning to the Palestinian resistance, and we say that this message must be carefully considered by the Israelis.”
“[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu must know that this battle is not a battle for the people of Gaza and the West Bank only, but the responsibility requires all our people in the Islamic and Arab nation not to be neutral, and we are not neutral in this battle,” added Din.
“Netanyahu, the Zionists, and all Israeli leaders will not recover from this shock. The failure of Israeli intelligence means the success of the Palestinian resistance at various levels and the accumulation of military combat experience.”
“Greetings to the heroic resistors, to all the resistance factions in Palestine, and to the families of the wounded and martyrs, and we say to them, ‘The nation, we are with you, and our hearts, souls, missiles, and rifles are with you, because we are the resistance that originally existed for the sake of Palestine and Al-Aqsa,’” added the Hezbollah leader. “In our dear resistance, we have always longed for these moments in which we clash with this enemy and we are fully prepared and ready when needed.”
Unclear if IDF will expand response on northern front
It was unclear if the IDF would respond with additional air strikes or if it would suffice with the initial artillery response.
IDF Chief Spokesman Daniel Hagari did say that from the IDF's perspective the incident was over if Hezbollah did not undertake any additional attacks.
Put differently, the IDF took advantage of the moment to eliminate the Hezbollah tent, but wants to avoid further distractions on the northern front so it can focus all of its power on slamming Hamas on the southern front.
IDF Chief Spokesman Daniel Hagari did say that from the IDF perspective, the incident was over if Hezbollah did not undertake any additional attacks.
In past rounds of fighting, Hezbollah has either stayed out of the fighting entirely or fired, or allowed a proxy group to fire, a symbolic number of rockets on the North without causing much damage.
Residents of towns near border recommended to go south
Residents of towns near the Lebanese border, including Rosh Hanikra, Adamit, Hanita, Eilon, Betzet, and Matsuva, were advised by the Mateh Asher Regional Council to find places to stay in more southern areas due to the security situation. Residents who decide to go to other areas are asked to update the emergency staff of their towns with their names and where they intend to stay.
Residents of Metula were advised to evacuate to locations further south as well.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it was in contact with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line to “contain the situation and avoid a more serious escalation.”
“Our peacekeepers remain in their positions and on task. They continue to work, some from shelters for their safety. We urge everyone to exercise restraint and make use of UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination mechanisms to de-escalate to prevent a fast deterioration of the security situation.”