Hezbollah expands strikes in northern Israel amid renewed escalation

Lebanese group Hezbollah expanded its attacks on targets in northern Israel on Sunday, reaching as far as Acre and Haifa, while the Israeli army continued its attacks in southern Lebanon despite an ongoing truce.

The group said it struck a gathering of Israeli soldiers at a helicopter landing pad in the Shlomi settlement using a suicide drone.

Hezbollah said its fighters also targeted Israeli military infrastructure with rockets in the Nahariya and in the Krayot area north of Haifa, claiming its attacks were "in defense of the Lebanese people" amid Tel Aviv's ongoing offensive.

The Israeli army, meanwhile, reported detecting a booby-trapped drone and at least seven rockets launched from Lebanon, with sirens activated in Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Giladi, Tel Hai, and Metula in northern Israel after the Hezbollah attacks.

The army said it intercepted two rockets that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon.

Army Radio said sirens also sounded in Acre and the Krayot area in the Haifa district, adding that Hezbollah continues to widen the scope of its attacks.

The broadcaster said Hezbollah fired five rockets from Lebanon toward Nahariya and surrounding areas in northern Israel, claiming most rockets were intercepted and no casualties were recorded.

The escalation came hours after the army announced that it had launched a "large-scale" offensive in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Salouqi (Saluki) area of southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army has continued its daily attacks across Lebanon despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 17 and was extended for 45 days following indirect talks mediated by the US.

According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed over 3,370 people and more than 10,000 others.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel