BEIRUT: Hezbollah said it launched an aerial assault on the Israeli Metula site in retaliation for 鈥渢he attacks on villages and homes in southern Lebanon by the Israeli enemy.鈥�
Israel鈥檚 Channel 12 reported on Wednesday that a Hezbollah drone crashed close to a military base in Metula, but added nobody was hurt.
The situation in southern Lebanon is escalating as the US works for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Najib Mikati, the Lebanese premier, said during a televised interview a response to American envoy Amos Hochstein鈥檚 proposal would be sent within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, amid threats of a wider war on Lebanon, Israeli news sites released a video clip they said the organization had sent to residents of settlements in northern Israel.
It was reported that several people received messages on WhatsApp and Telegram from unknown numbers claiming to be from Hezbollah. The messages featured a propaganda video showing rockets falling, fires and threats. Recipients included the heads of local authorities.
The messages are alleged to have said: 鈥淲e have aimed our missiles at you. You have until the end of the week. You won鈥檛 make it. It鈥檚 recommended to escape to the southern cities.鈥�
Safed was mentioned as a potential target for Hezbollah missile strikes, according to news reports.
On Tuesday night, Hezbollah used Katyusha rockets to bomb buildings in the Kiryat Shmona and Kfar Blum settlements. Kfar Blum is more than 5 km from the Lebanese border and not part of Israel鈥檚 settlement evacuation. The Avivim settlement in the Upper Galilee was attacked on Wednesday morning.
Around 70 missiles targeted the Kiryat Shmona settlement. Hezbollah said this was in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on a civilian house in the Lebanese border town of Hula which resulted in the deaths of Hassan Hussein, his wife Ruwayda Mustafa, and their son Ali Hassan Hussein.
A report released by Hezbollah, detailing its activities on the southern front over the past 150 days, said 1,194 military operations had targeted 107 settlements, 841 border sites, 74 rear sites and 134 border points. In addition, 38 drones and aircraft destroyed 570 settlement units, killing or injuring 2,000 people.
The Council of Maronite Bishops, in a statement on the developments, affirmed their 鈥渃ategorical refusal to involve Lebanon in the Palestinian-Israeli war, from whose flames all Arab countries have distanced themselves.鈥�
They called on 鈥渃oncerned local parties to help our people suffering in the south, regardless of their religious and political affiliations.鈥�
The bishops cautioned 鈥渢he consequences of linking the southern border dispute with settlements that affect Lebanon鈥檚 sovereignty, its oil and water resources, and its geographical rights.鈥�
They also stressed that 鈥渁ny Lebanese negotiation in these issues should be handled by Lebanon鈥檚 president and should be put on hold until the election takes place.鈥�