IDF fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Saturday, as Iran continued to threaten revenge in response to the strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria.
Iran on Friday reiterated its pledge to punish Israel, at a funeral for seven officers killed in the airstrike in Damascus.
State television showed demonstrators carrying pictures of those killed and banners with slogans such as “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.”
“No act of the enemy against the sacred Islamic republic will go unanswered,” Maj.-Gen. Hossein Salami, the IRGC commander-in-chief, told the crowd gathered in Tehran. “Our brave men will punish the Zionist regime.”
Former commander Mohsen Rezaei, commenting on the possibility of retaliation against Israel, said: “The decision has been made. It will definitely be implemented,” according to the semi-official Tasnim new site. He did not elaborate.
A US official said on Friday that Washington is on high alert and preparing for a possible attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region.
“We’re definitely at a high state of vigilance,” the official said in confirming a CNN report that said an attack could come in the next week.
In southern Lebanon on Saturday, the IDF hit the areas of Ayta ash Shab, Arnoun and Tayr Harfa.
IDF artillery also fired at threats in the areas of Aalma El Chaeb and Souaneh overnight.
The military action followed five launches that were identified overnight, coming from southern Lebanon into Israel.
The IDF further reported that additional rockets had been fired at Israel from Lebanon in the previous hours. The military responded by striking the sources of rocket fire. No injuries were reported in Israel as a consequence of the exchange.
Shortly after the IDF announced its military action in Lebanon, more rocket sirens sounded in northern Israel.
Residents of the North take cover
In response to the slew of rocket sirens going off over the last day, residents of northern Israel repeatedly made their way to nearby rocket shelters.
One resident of the North, Reut Nun, shared her experience taking cover with her children from rocket fire.
“Suddenly, there were loud explosions, and sirens blared from all directions, along with ‘Code Red’ calls. I quickly ran with the children into a nearby shelter,” Nun said.
“The children, of course, are already accustomed [to rocket sirens] and know to lie on the floor and protect their heads with their hands. This has been our sad reality here for half a year already” – it’s as if “we’re not allowed to leave the house.”
Israeli UAV shot down over Lebanon
Later on Saturday evening, the Israeli military stated that a surface-to-air missile had brought down an Israel Air Force unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The missile made contact with the Israeli drone in Lebanese airspace and fell inside Lebanon. The IDF reported that the incident is under review.