Palestinian groups launched rockets into Israel: UNIFIL source

A flurry of rockets was launched from southern Lebanon into northern Israel on Wednesday afternoon, some of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system.

An unnamed source in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) told The New Arab that the rockets were fired by Palestinian groups as revenge for the Israeli raid of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

No party has officially claimed responsibility for the rockets and the Lebanese Army declined to answer TNA’s questions on the events.

Fatah Movement's representative in Lebanon denied to the media that any "prominent Palestinian faction" fired rockets.

Close-up to the impact in Israel.pic.twitter.com/5Bx74BM7Yu

— Lebanese News and Updates (@LebUpdate) April 6, 2023

A barrage of artillery fire coming from Israel hit southern Lebanon about an hour after the launching of the rockets, with no casualties being reported.

Tension between the pro-Iran militia Hezbollah and Israel had been increasing in recent weeks after near-daily Israeli raids in the West Bank and the recent Israeli violence in al-Aqsa sparked outrage in Lebanon.

The head of Hamas' political bureau Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Beirut Wednesday for a "private visit," and was scheduled to visit the southern city of Tyre Thursday but has reportedly canceled because of the "security situation". 

During Israel’s war on Gaza in 2021, Palestinian groups similarly launched rockets into northern Israel, and Israel retaliated with artillery fire with no further escalation.