IDF admits error: failed to warn public before Hezbollah 200-rocket barrage — 'should have told people earlier'

The IDF acknowledged Thursday that it was a mistake not to update the public ahead of Hezbollah's large rocket and drone attack on northern Israel overnight, especially once Israel's assessments of the planned barrage were leaked on social media and published by international media. The military had indications that Hezbollah planned a larger-than-usual attack, though it was not seen by the IDF as exceptionally major, given that the terror group had already been firing hundreds of rockets at Israel amid the war with Iran. News of the intelligence leaked on social media in the late afternoon of March 11, and several regional councils in northern Israel updated their residents that heavy fire from Lebanon was expected. CNN also reported, citing Israeli officials, that Israel was expecting a potential 'significant expansion' of attacks from Hezbollah and Iran. Military officials admitted that the IDF should have been more transparent with the Israeli public regarding the assessments ahead of the barrage, especially once they were circulating online — mainly to maintain public trust. The IDF said it will investigate and learn from the incident. The disclosure also revealed new details about the scale of the attack: Hezbollah's barrage consisted of around 200 rockets and some 20 drones — only a third of what the terror group had initially planned. The vast majority of the 200 rockets were intercepted or struck open areas. Two impacts in residential areas caused damage and lightly injured two people. Nearly all of the drones were intercepted, aside from one that crashed near a border community without exploding. The IDF struck at least one rocket launcher and several Hezbollah command centers ahead of the attack, and destroyed around half of the launchers during the barrage. Since March 2 when Hezbollah began attacking Israel, the group has launched around 100 rockets per day — two-thirds at IDF forces in southern Lebanon, one-third at Israeli communities. Hezbollah has also launched more than 100 drones at Israel during that time.