Hezbollah Joins Iran to Fire Rockets at Israel

Latest Developments

The Iran-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah said it fired dozens of rockets at Israel overnight between April 13 and April 14. The attacks, which came in tandem with Iran’s launch of hundreds of drones and missiles targeting the Jewish state, targeted an Israeli army base in the Golan Heights. Additionally, Hezbollah targeted Israel with a drone on April 13 after firing 40 rockets at Israel on the evening of April 12.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah on April 14, targeting the terrorist group’s elite Radwan Force and a Hezbollah weapons manufacturing site. Footage released by the IDF shows strikes on several buildings and sites used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has carried out more than 3,100 rocket attacks against Israel since October 8.

Expert Analysis

“Hezbollah has exploited Israel-Iran tensions to launch dozens of rockets at Israel. The Iranian-backed terrorist group has escalated its attacks over the last six months, targeting Israel with thousands of rockets, drones, and anti-tank missiles. Israel should be supported in its retaliation against Hezbollah’s threats and in its demand that Hezbollah withdraw its forces and threats from the border region. It is essential that Hezbollah, Iran, and other Iranian-backed groups be deterred.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow

“Despite the overnight rocket fire against the Golan Heights, it was not outside the scope of attacks Hezbollah has launched since October 8. However, it is clear that events could have gone drastically different if Hezbollah had also launched hundreds of projectiles simultaneously with Iran. This highlights the importance for Israel to continue advancing its missile defense systems further and collaborate with regional partners to counter the threats posed by Iran and its proxies.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

Israel Attacked on Multiple Fronts

Israel has “been at war on several fronts for over six months,” said IDF Commanding Officer of the Home Front Command Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo on April 14. “Throughout the war we have faced and have confronted a large number of challenges in a very wide variety of threats, we learned and improved — we are prepared and strong in both defense and offense.” The IDF encouraged Israelis to enter bomb shelters in northern and southern Israel as the attack from Iran and threats on different fronts materialized overnight between April 13 and 14.

Iranian pro-government media outlet Tasnim said, “in this attack, a combination of hundreds of drones and a large number of missiles of different types have been used. More importantly, this attack did not come from Iran only, and this [Israeli] regime is being punished from four directions.” Tasnim also claimed that Iran and pro-Iran groups threatened Israel from Yemen, Lebanon, and other fronts.

Related Analysis

“Israel, U.S. Close Ranks as Iran Threatens Attack,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran’s terror-enabling supreme leader only opens the door for Israel to hit back hard,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran Floods West Bank With Weapons,” FDD Flash Brief