Israeli town hit by rocket fired from Lebanon
A Katyusha rocket fired from Lebanon landed in the northern Israeli town of Shlomi, the army said, heavily damaging a factory in an industrial zone and drawing an Israeli threat of retaliation.
There were no injuries, and no one immediately claimed responsibility. But in a statement, the Israeli army said it held Lebanon responsible for the attack last night, which it said was the third such rocket strike in the past year.
“The Lebanese government is responsible for all incidents which take place in Lebanese territory, including these attacks, which are conducted by terror organisations,” the army said, urging Lebanon to honour UN calls to disarm militias in its territory.
“The army will not allow terror activity and provocative actions aimed at civilians in northern Israel,” it added. ”It will prepare to prevent the reoccurrence of similar terror attacks and will respond if needed.”
The Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah has occasionally shelled Israeli positions, although the border has been relatively quiet since Israel pulled out of southern Lebanon in 2000.
Hezbollah officials in Lebanon declined to comment, and there was no immediate reaction from the government in Beirut.
Earlier this week, Israel mistakenly fired an artillery shell into Lebanon while clearing an explosive field planted by the guerrillas near the border. The army said the shell fell in an open area, causing no damage or casualties.
It was unclear whether yesterday’s rocket attack was retaliation for the shelling or possibly timed to coincide with Israel’s Independence Day holiday, when many Israelis celebrate outdoors.
Shlomi is located several hundred yards from the border with Lebanon. In August 2003, a Hezbollah shell killed a 16-year-old boy in the town as he walked home from his summer job.
