Hezbollah fires major rocket barrage — sirens across Galilee, near Haifa, and northern towns; IDF retaliates against launchers

Hezbollah launched its predicted major rocket barrage against Israel in the evening of Day 18, triggering sirens across the Galilee, near Haifa, and in several towns south of the northern coastal city. The IDF had warned earlier in the day that Hezbollah was planning a major rocket attack during evening hours. The Israeli Air Force immediately launched a wave of strikes against Hezbollah rocket launchers and other infrastructure in Lebanon. The IDF said the strikes were intended to thwart additional fire toward Israel. The barrage reached further south than most previous Hezbollah fire — sirens near Haifa brought the attack into a major urban center. Al Jazeera reported Hezbollah has been firing an average of 100 rockets per day into Israel, sometimes in tandem with Iranian missile salvos, sending hundreds of thousands of Israelis into shelters daily.