Israel’s northern border region is a war zone, no less so than the region around the Gaza Strip, and local residents are furious that it’s not receiving the same attention as Gaza.
sraeli forces were involved in a heavy exchange of fire with Hezbollah on Tuesday afternoon after an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon struck a church in the village of Iqrit in the Western Galilee, wounding a civilian.
Israel Defense Forces and Magen David Adom emergency medical service teams were treating the injured person at the scene, according to Israeli media reports.
The IDF said that a Hezbollah anti-tank missile hit the St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Iqrit.
“This attack is not only a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, but also a violation of the freedom of worship,” the IDF tweeted.
Hezbollah attacked the St. Mary’s Greek-Orthodox Church of Iqrit in northern Israel.
An anti-tank missile from Lebanon directly hit the church, injuring a civilian.
This attack is not only a clear violation of @UN Security Council Resolution 1701, but also a violation of the…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 26, 2023
Another anti-tank missile was fired at the area after Israeli forces arrived on the scene to rescue the civilian victim. Channel 12 reports that nine of the soldiers were wounded, one seriously. Additionally, an anti-tank missile was launched at Moshav Dovev.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror army has been waging a low-intensity conflict against Israel since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 people in the Jewish state.
In his Christmas message to Christians worldwide, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the Jewish state was confronting “monsters who murdered children in front of their parents and parents in front of their children, who raped and beheaded women, who burned babies alive, who took babies hostages.”
He added: “This is a battle not only of Israel against these barbarians, it’s a battle of civilization against barbarism. And I know in this that we have your support.”
IAF conducts heavy bombardments in Lebanon
Israeli Air Force fighter jets carried out extensive strikes on Hezbollah terror assets in Southern Lebanon on Tuesday morning, close to the border towns of Aita al-Shaab, Ramyeh and Meiss ej-Jabal, according to Lebanese media.
Prior to the strikes, Israeli reconnaissance drones flew over several Lebanese towns near the frontier, according to the reports.
Additionally, an IDF tank shelled a terror target to remove a threat from Lebanon, said the military.
The strikes came after terrorists in Lebanon fired several rockets towards the Mount Dov region.
לפני זמן קצר זוהו מספר שיגורים משטח לבנון לעבר מרחב הר דב ושומרה. לוחמי צה”ל תקפו מטרות בלבנון.
בשעות הבוקר מטוס קרב של חיל האוויר תקף תשתית טרור של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בשטח לבנון. בנוסף, טנק ירה לעבר מטרה על מנת להסיר איום שנשקף מלבנון>> pic.twitter.com/h6xpbSddfb
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 26, 2023
IDF soldier dies after being wounded on northern front
Also on Tuesday, the IDF released for publication the name of an Israeli soldier killed on the northern front: Sgt. Daniel Nachmani, 21, from Kfar Saba, died from wounds sustained during operational activity on Dec. 22.
Gallant: Conflict in north to continue until residents can return
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a situation assessment on Monday at the IDF’s Northern Command, where he was briefed on operational activities along the border.
Gallant emphasized that the conflict in the north would continue until the security situation is improved so some 80,000 evacuated residents can return to their homes.
“Fire was opened on Israel’s north without any Israeli provocation, and as a result of Hezbollah’s decision,” said Gallant. “We will not allow a return to the previous situation we were in until Oct. 6. We are hitting Hezbollah very hard—they have lost around 150 [terrorists], they have infrastructure that has been damaged, they have been pushed far in from the fence line, and the air force flies freely over Lebanon. We will expand our efforts,” he added.
“Hezbollah looks at what is happening in Gaza and it understands very well—what we did in Gaza can also be done in Beirut. We do not want this scenario, but we will not leave the residents [of Israel’s north] without protection, and we will return them to their homes,” said Gallant.
Overnight Monday, terrorists in Lebanon fired several rockets towards the northern town of Manara.
There were no reports of injuries in the town, which has been largely evacuated due to repeated Hezbollah anti-tank missile attacks.
Earlier Monday, terrorists in Lebanese territory launched a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli aircraft.
The missile did not strike the aircraft, which completed its mission successfully, according to the military.
בשעות האחרונות זוהו שני שיגורים משטח לבנון לעבר מרחב מנרה.
במהלך היום, כוחותינו תקפו את מקור הירי ושתי עמדות שיגור לצד מרחבים נוספים בשטח לבנון.בנוסף, מוקדם יותר היום, שוגר טיל קרקע אוויר משטח לבנון לעבר כלי טיס של חיל האוויר שפעל במרחב. הטיל לא פגע בכלי שסיים את משימתו בהצלחה pic.twitter.com/0SCgWL4Owx
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 25, 2023
Also on Monday, the IDF began closing communities and roads along the Lebanese border following a military assessment. These closures impact the Upper Galilee, Mevo’ot HaHermon and Mateh Asher regional councils.
There was a series of incidents at the northern border on Monday afternoon, including an anti-tank missile fired at Kibbutz Misgav Am from Lebanese territory. There were no reports of injuries and the IDF responded by firing at the source of the launch.
Furthermore, two anti-tank missiles were fired at Moshav Beit Hillel, also in the Galilee, with no reports of casualties.
On Sunday, the IAF completed an extensive wave of attacks on Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon.
With reporting by JNS.
I’ve just watched Israel todays latest video on telegram, where brave IDF soldiers have to cross difficult terrain to rescue two wounded soldiers – while at the same time they have to watch out for Hamas devils. I’m becoming so upset by the day now that I wonder, if I can even continue watching news from Israel!? There should be an outrage among Christians and Israelis that Netanyahu lets this happen to your brave young men! Who does he think he is? What is the weapons status? Is he lying? Does he try to appease the US out of fear of something else than losing American support and arms?? I wonder.
As Douglas Murray said recently: Assad has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians, so where are the protesters in Melbourne and London? And Pakistan is expelling 2 million afghans now: where are the protesters in the west?
I’m so Mad at Netanyahu for bowing like a coward! I don’t believe Israel can win with this bloke at the rudder.
To make myself more clear as to the above comment: the IDF should airbomb the southern part of Gaza, like the Brits air bombed Dresden, or better: like Putin razed Marinka! These Hamas rats keep popping up from their holes, waiting in buildings to ambush your soldiers! It’s never going to end, if this is how it’s done. They can get all other groups to join them from the West Bank etc, where they have tunnels also, I bet. And then they get fresh arms delivered covered up as ‘aid’ from the UN . . Really, Bibi??
Being someone who has never been in a battle, let alone a war, who are you to criticize?
Hamas has had years to prepare for this war, Israel’s warriors are doing what it takes to fight a war they didn’t want, so let the warriors and their leaders fight this war without criticism from those who aren’t there on the front line with them.
Armchair generals are a dime a thousand.
Okay, Mr Ryan, so one can only air opinions on matters one has experience with, then? I do think that Netanyahu deserves a lot of criticism, also due to the fact that he has let Israelis been pummeled with rockets for the past 15 years! (He was busy staying in power, as if he’s the only one who can lead Israel). So can I not say that, because I’ve not been targeted that way? That’s ridiculous. You don’t know me, but I’ve been a friend to Israel for many years.
In your view, I cannot comment on anything, because I’m not Israeli, have not served in an army, or live there. The comments sections on TOI and Jpost are great, so perhaps I’ll stick to those newspapers. Shalom!
Israel has been under attack since May 14, 1948, why do you limit that fact to the last 15 years? Leftist assaults on Bibi have been ongoing against him because he doesn’t capitulate to them, leftists don’t like it when a politician doesn’t bow down to them. Trump is another example of that. Bibi has shown he cares for his people, but it is the weakness of those on the left that keeps the enemies of Israel coming back for more and it keeps the idea alive that if they keep up the fight, they might even win. That is going on not only in Israel but in the US and the EU.
In the end, the left and associates, lose to the God of Israel.