May 8, 2024
JERUSALEM (AP) — An anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit a home in northern Israel on Sunday, killing two civilians and renewing concerns about the risk of a second front erupting in the Israel-Hamas war.
The deadly strike near the border came on the 100th day of the conflict between Israel and Hamas that was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack into southern Israel in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 250 hostages, about half of whom are still in captivity.
Since then, tensions have soared across the region, with Israel trading fire almost daily with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group and Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. targets in Syria and Iraq. In addition, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been targeting international shipping, drawing a wave of U.S. airstrikes last week.
Sunday's missile strike came a day after the Israeli army said it killed three militants who tried to infiltrate Israel.
Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said his group won’t stop until a cease-fire is in place for Gaza.
“We are continuing, and our front is inflicting losses on the enemy and putting pressure on displaced people,” Nasrallah said in a speech, referring to the tens of thousands of Israelis who have fled northern border areas.
The latest attacks on Israel, including the deaths of the two civilians on Sunday, raised the likelihood of new Israeli reprisals. Late Sunday, the Israeli military said it had carried out a series of strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
The army's chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israel would not tolerate attacks on civilians.
“The price will be extracted not just tonight, but also in the future,” Hagari said.
Earlier Sunday, the Lebanese missile hit a home in the town of Yuval, killing a man in his 40s and his mother, who was in her 70s, Israeli rescuers said.
Although Yuval is one of more than 40 towns along the northern border evacuated by the government in October, Israeli media reported that the family stayed in the area because they work in agriculture.
More than 115,000 Israelis have evacuated from northern Israel due to the ongoing tensions.
The deadly strike came hours after the army said it killed three militants who entered a disputed Israeli-controlled enclave in the Golan Heights.
A group called Islamic Glory Brigades claimed responsibility for the infiltration. The Associated Press could not independently verify the statement, and Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad all said the group was not affiliated with them.
Tensions have also spread to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Palestinian health officials say nearly 350 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in confrontations throughout the war.
On Sunday, the Israeli army said troops opened fire after a Palestinian car breached a military roadblock in the southern West Bank and an attacker fired at soldiers. Palestinian health officials said two Palestinians were killed.
In recent weeks, Israel has scaled back operations in northern Gaza, the initial target of the offensive, where weeks of airstrikes and ground operations left entire neighborhoods in ruins. Netanyahu said there are no immediate plans to allow hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to their homes there, after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the issue during a visit to the region last week.
Meanwhile, Israel has launched major operations against the southern city of Khan Younis and built-up refugee camps in central Gaza.
Netanyahu said Israel would eventually need to push further south and take control of Gaza's border with Egypt, which Israeli officials say is still used by Hamas to smuggle in arms.
