Netanyahu says ready to strike back at any enemy

Israel is ready to strike back at any enemy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at an emergency meeting after a rocket attack from Lebanon, Report informs referring to The Times of Israel.

At the start of the security cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that ongoing internal debates in Israeli society would not prevent the country from responding firmly and significantly to escalating violence - a reference to the national crisis over his government’s plans to overhaul the judiciary.

“We are all, without exception, united on this,” he said, adding that the country “will hit back at our enemies, and they will pay the price for every act of aggression."

“Our enemies will learn again that during times that we are tested, Israeli citizens stand together united.”

Dozens of rockets were fired from southern Lebanon on April 6 afternoon with several intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system over northern Israel, officials and the military said. At least three people were injured.

Israeli officials said 34 rockets had been fired toward the border with five landing inside Israel, and the rest downed by Iron Dome.

Such a massive barrage would make this the largest number of rockets fired from Lebanon since the 2006 war, during which thousands of rockets were launched at Israel. In August 2021, Hezbollah fired 19 rockets at northern Israel.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, and a Hezbollah source told the Al-Arabiya network that it was not behind the rocket fire, apparently blaming Palestinian groups based in the area. However, it was unlikely they would do so without at least the tacit approval of the Iran-backed terror group that controls southern Lebanon.

Two people were lightly hurt by shrapnel in the rocket attacks.

The salvo also came just hours after Hezbollah said it would support “all measures” Palestinian groups may take against Israel after clashes at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.