Hezbollah fires around 135 rockets in heaviest attack on Israel's Haifa since war began (WATCH)

In a significant escalation of hostilities, Hezbollah launched around 135 rockets from Lebanon towards Haifa and surrounding areas on Tuesday morning, marking the largest barrage on the city since the beginning of the ongoing war. The rocket attack, which targeted several settlements including "Kirya Am" and "Kiryat Motzkin," as well as Haifa itself, represents the heaviest assault Haifa has faced throughout the conflict.

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"Today, Hezbollah fired approx. 135 projectiles into Israel. One year ago today, Hezbollah started terrorizing Israeli civilians and have not stopped since," the IDF said in a post on X.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the initial wave of rockets involved the simultaneous launch of 100 projectiles, with a second barrage adding an additional 20 rockets, bringing the total number fired within half an hour to over 120. While some of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems, several impacts were reported, causing significant damage to homes and injuring civilians.

A woman in her 70s was wounded by shrapnel during the attack, with local reports confirming the damage to multiple residential structures in the region. Israeli authorities have not yet released casualty figures from the second wave of rockets, though the IDF confirmed that “approximately 20 projectiles” crossed into Israeli territory in the Haifa Bay and Upper Galilee regions.

The attack comes amid growing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, as the militant group continues to ramp up its missile assaults on northern Israel. Hezbollah’s leadership has stated that their attacks are aimed at displacing more Israelis from their homes, a strategy they say will increase Israel’s suffering. According to Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy leader, Israel’s recent ground operations in Lebanon have failed to achieve their objectives, allowing Hezbollah’s military capabilities to remain intact.

"Our military capabilities are fine," Qassem said. "What our enemies say about our fighting capabilities is an illusion. They are lying. Our fighters on the frontline are solid… the pain of the Israelis is increasing. We are telling them, more and more Israelis will be displaced from the settlements."

In response to Hezbollah's rocket fire, Israel’s military has escalated its own operations in Lebanon, committing four divisions of troops to what they describe as “limited, localized, targeted operational activities” aimed at Hezbollah’s infrastructure in southwestern Lebanon. The IDF has warned residents of southern Lebanon to flee their homes, as military operations continue to intensify.

Israel’s Arabic language spokesperson reiterated that anyone moving south was in danger, with the IDF claiming that its strikes are focused on Hezbollah “terror targets” in Lebanon. Lebanese media has reported ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, as well as in the eastern and southern regions of the country.

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The escalation in violence has had a devastating humanitarian impact on both sides of the border. Over 60,000 people in northern Israel have been displaced since the beginning of the conflict, while more than a fifth of Lebanon’s population has also been forced to flee their homes. The situation in Lebanon is particularly dire, with southern areas facing constant bombardment and widespread displacement.

Israeli airstrikes continued throughout the day in several parts of Lebanon, further contributing to the exodus of civilians from conflict zones.