Israel responds to rocket fire from Lebanon and Gaza with attacks

According to Lebanese security sources, Israel hit a field near a Palestinian refugee camp during its attacks. So far, there is no information about possible victims.

Some houses were damaged in the attacks near the town of Tyros, eyewitnesses told the German Press Agency. The explosions in the early hours of the morning caused panic among residents.

Israel's army did not want to "allow the terrorist organization Hamas to operate from Lebanon". The Lebanese state bears responsibility for any shelling emanating from its territory, the military said in a statement.

" Lebanon vehemently rejects any military escalation emanating from its territory as well as the use of Lebanese territory to conduct operations that may endanger the existing stability," Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati (67), emphasized.

Lebanon has been without a president for months and Mikati's caretaker government is only able to act to a limited extent. The country is also suffering from a severe economic crisis.

According to the Israeli army, at least 36 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory on Thursday afternoon - the highest number since 2006.

The UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL called on all parties involved to stop the attacks. "Both sides have said that they do not want war," the organization said in a statement.

The UNIFIL blue helmets have been monitoring the border area between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. The two countries are officially in a state of war. The last war between the two sides was in 2006. Since then, tensions have repeatedly erupted on the border.

According to UN estimates, more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees live in twelve camps in Lebanon. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, has great influence in the refugee camps.

It also maintains close ties with the powerful Shia militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. The organization, which is allied with Iran and sees Israel as its arch-enemy, has so far not reacted to the Israeli bombardments.

During the night and in the morning, Israel's army also carried out attacks on the Gaza Strip. According to the army, Israeli fighter jets bombed weapons factories and attack tunnels belonging to the Islamist Hamas, among other things.

The military assumes that Hamas or the militant Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad, which is also active in the Gaza Strip, are responsible for the rocket attacks from the neighbouring country.

In some Israeli towns in the south, there were multiple rocket alarms during the night and in the morning. According to the army, more than 40 rockets were fired at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip during the night. Residents of the region were urged to stay close to bomb shelters.

The latest escalation was preceded by clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians on the Temple Mount (Al-Haram al-Sharif) in Jerusalem.

The Temple Mount is under Muslim administration, while Israel is responsible for security. The Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. However, it is also sacred to Jews because two Jewish temples used to stand there. The area around the mosque is often the scene of violent confrontations.

Because Ramadan, the Jewish Passover festival and Easter are taking place at the same time these days, significantly more believers than usual are drawn to Jerusalem's Old City. On the third Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, thousands of Muslims were once again expected to attend Friday prayers on the Temple Mount.