By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

UPDATE: According to Israeli media, the number of Israeli soldiers killed has risen to two and 16 soldiers were injured.

Israeli media have reported that a soldier was killed and several others were injured near Tel Hai in the Upper Galilee following the firing of two shells from southern Lebanon. 

According to Al-Jazeera, two rockets were launched toward an Israeli site in the Upper Galilee, while the Anadolu Agency cited Israeli media as reporting that eight Israelis were injured, two of them seriously, due to two anti-tank rockets fired from Lebanon toward the Galilee Finger.

In response, the Israeli army reportedly dispatched a military helicopter and seven ambulances to evacuate the wounded. Israeli media described the incident as a dangerous escalation, and the army fired artillery at the source of the gunfire.

Scenes from the Israeli-Lebanese border.

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Yedioth Ahronoth also reported that two Israelis were injured by a drone explosion in Western Galilee. For its part, Israeli Channel 12 added that a drone detonated in a building in the Ya’ara area of Western Galilee.

The Israeli army reported monitoring the fall of several drones launched from Lebanon towards Beit Hillel in the Galilee, with firefighting crews working to extinguish a fire that broke out following the drones’ impact.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting an Israeli military position at the Marj site, stating that its fighters killed and wounded several Israeli soldiers. 

In contrast, the Israeli army reported bombing a Hezbollah weapons depot in Khiam and other areas in southern Lebanon, including military buildings in Sheheen, Taybeh, Blida, Mays al-Jabal, Aitaroun, and Kfar Kila.

Moving Forces

On Thursday, the Israeli army announced its decision to move forces from the West Bank to the border with Lebanon in anticipation of a potential full-scale conflict with Hezbollah. 

This development follows two explosions involving telecommunications equipment in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, which resulted in 32 deaths and over 3,200 injuries. 

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah accused Israel of being behind the blasts.

Rockets fall on Margaliot, in northern Israel.

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According to the Wall Street Journal, an informed source reported that these explosions in Lebanon coincided with Israel’s transfer of a military division from the Gaza Strip to the northern front.

Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, on October 7, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.

Fake Messages

Amid heightened tensions, on Wednesday evening, Israelis received fake text messages titled “Emergency Alert,” urging them to leave their homes and seek shelter. 

The Jerusalem Post reported that the messages included a link directing people to seek protected areas, suggesting an imminent rocket threat.

The Israeli army’s Home Front Command denied sending these messages and stated that there were no changes to their official instructions. They urged Israelis to rely only on official platforms and described the messages as “suspicious.”

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) confirmed that thousands of Israelis received the false warnings, causing widespread panic.

(PC, AJA)