Beirut, March 15 (IANS) Hezbollah said on Sunday that it launched a rocket barrage targeting an Israeli military industrial complex north of the Kiryat area.

In a statement, the group said it targeted the military industrial complex belonging to Israel’s state-owned defence technology company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems at around 8:30 a.m. local time.

Hezbollah said the attack was carried out “in defence of Lebanon and its people,” Xinhua news agency reported.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side on the claim.

Earlier on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said it conducted a wave of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon.

Hezbollah claimed several drone and missile strikes on Israeli sites on Sunday, as regional escalation continues to widen following a US-Israeli attack on Iran.

In separate statements, the group said the attacks were carried out “in response to the Israeli aggression” targeting dozens of Lebanese cities and towns, including Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The group added that it fired a rocket barrage at the Israeli settlement of Nahariya, and an air defence system in the Ma’alot-Tarshiha area in northern Israel.

Hezbollah said its fighters also shelled gatherings of Israeli soldiers at the Jabiyah point opposite the Lebanese border town of Meiss El Jabal, and at the Hadbat al-Ajl position north of the Kfar Yuval settlement.

A large rocket barrage also targeted Israeli soldiers gathered in Khallet al-Mahafir on the outskirts of the border town of Adaisseh in southern Lebanon and at the Avivim barracks, the group said, adding that another attack hit the Rafael military industries complex north of the Krayot area in northern Israel.

Hezbollah also claimed a drone strike on Israeli military vehicles near Adaisseh, and the Palmachim Airbase south of Tel Aviv, about 140 km from the Lebanese border.

Hostilities have escalated since February 28 when Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran, killing around 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

The conflict also spilled over to Lebanon, with the Israeli Army expanding attacks that have killed more than 800 people and injured over 2,000 others since March 2 amid cross-border attacks with Hezbollah.

–IANS

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