BREAKING: Hezbollah Fires Rockets “Never Before Seen” Into Israel

As promised by Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah has launched missiles capable of moving this conflict beyond Haifa:

Police officials said that on Friday noon Hizbullah fired at Israel, for the first time since the fighting in the north began, five long-range missiles carrying a greater amount of explosives than the Pajar rockets of the type that has been fired so far. The missiles landed in open areas near Afula and in the area between Afula and Beit Shean. No injuries were reported in the attack.

A short while later sirens were heard in the Haifa and Krayot area and residents were ordered into shelters and protected areas. Some rockets landed in open areas near Haifa. In a separate barrage a rocket landed in Nahariya, hitting a vehicle that immediately caught fire. Another rocket struck a public building in town and damaged it. No injuries were reported in the attacks.

Ynet has learned that some of the rockets fired in the barrages on the Western Galilee on Thursday included 220 millimeter-diameter rockets. Up until now Hizbullah had launched these rockets only at Haifa. One of them had hit a train depot and killed eight employees at the place.

The missiles that were located near Afula are equipped with more explosives and can travel to longer distances than the rockets used until now. Security officials that arrived at the missiles’ landing site said they have never encountered such missiles before. They claimed that Hizbullah may have been trying to land the missiles in the Hadera or Netanya region, but that due to the IDF’s operation in southern Lebanon, launch cells were forced deeper into Lebanese territory and pushed away from the border.

UPDATE: According to The J Post, the rockets were Iranian-made Fajr-5 missiles. I presume these came from Iran’s spiritual support for Hezbollah just like the katyushas.

UPDATE: Haaretz reports that the IAF has taken out the launchers used to propel these new Hezbollah rockets into Israel.

FILED UNDER: Middle East, Terrorism, , , ,
Greg Tinti
About Greg Tinti
Greg started the blog The Political Pit Bull in August 2005. He was OTB's Breaking News Editor from June through August 2006 before deciding to return to his own blog. His blogging career eventually ended altogether. He has a B.A. in Anthropology from The George Washington University,

Comments

  1. madmatt says:

    “the rockets were Iranian-made Fajr-5 missiles. I presume these came from Iranâ??s spiritual support for Hezbollah just like the katyushas.” and israel is using american made warplanes against the lebanese. the end result is innocent people are dying on both sides.

  2. Greg Tinti says:

    Yeah, but the only difference is Hezbollah is purposely targeting civilians while Israel is doing everything in its power not to.

  3. anjin-san says:

    Humm thought Bush was going to let the fighting go on for a week then Condi was going to wing over and shut it down. Another great plan gone astray…

  4. 4200 says:

    War reparations refer to the monetary compensation provided to a triumphant nation or coalition from a defeated nation or coalition. The compensation is meant to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.