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Lebanon’s Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for shelling an Israeli military site in the north of the occupied territories.

In a statement, the group said it had targeted the Mishmar HaCarmel site, south of the occupied city of Haifa, with a salvo of rockets and drones.

In response, Israeli forces carried out heavy air strikes on several locations in Beirut’s southern suburbs and villages in the Bekaa Valley.

The Israeli army issued evacuation orders for dozens of towns in southern and eastern Lebanon.

In a statement, it said residents of 53 villages in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa must leave their homes and move at least one kilometre away.

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The developments came amid large-scale displacement from Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, with some schools opened to accommodate those fleeing.

Earlier, the Israeli army said it had intercepted one rocket fired from Lebanon, while other rockets landed without causing damage or casualties.

Israel’s Home Front Command confirmed that sirens sounded in the northern town of Margaliot over fears of a drone infiltration.

Israel’s public broadcaster reported that Hezbollah had launched rockets towards northern Israel for the first time since the ceasefire agreement in November 2024. There has been no official comment from Hezbollah on this specific claim.

The broadcaster quoted senior security officials as saying that rocket fire from Lebanon would be met with a strong response.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Haifa said the rocket fire from Lebanon was a development that required immediate action and a firm response.

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