Hezbollah rockets struck Haifa, Israel‘s third-largest city, early Monday, resulting in reports of 10 injuries in the northern region, coinciding with the first anniversary of the Gaza conflict that has escalated across the Middle East. The Iran-backed group, allied with Hamas, which is currently engaged in combat with Israel in Gaza, announced that it aimed at a military installation south of Haifa using a barrage of “Fadi 1” missiles.

Reports indicate that two rockets impacted Haifa, located on Israel’s Mediterranean coast, while five others struck Tiberias, approximately 65 kilometers (40 miles) away. Authorities noted damage to several buildings and properties, with some individuals sustaining minor injuries and requiring transport to a local hospital. In response, Israel’s military conducted airstrikes targeting Hezbollah’s Intelligence Headquarters in Beirut, focusing on intelligence-gathering assets, command centers, and other critical infrastructure.

In recent hours, airstrikes targeted Hezbollah’s weapons storage facilities in the Beirut region, according to military sources, who reported secondary explosions following the strikes, suggesting the presence of munitions.

Additionally, airstrikes were conducted against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, which included weapons storage sites, infrastructure, a command center, and a launcher, as stated by the military.

The military accused Hezbollah of intentionally situating its command centers and weaponry beneath residential buildings in central Beirut, thereby jeopardizing civilian safety.

On Monday, Israelis commemorated the first anniversary of the catastrophic Hamas attack that initiated a conflict, which has led to global protests and poses a threat of escalating tensions throughout the Middle East.

Ceremonies and demonstrations in Jerusalem and southern Israel were scheduled to commence at 06:29 a.m., coinciding with the moment when Hamas militants launched rockets into Israel at the onset of the October 7 attack last year.

Hamas instigated an Israeli military operation in Gaza that devastated the densely populated coastal region, resulting in nearly 42,000 fatalities, according to Palestinian health officials. On Monday, security forces throughout Israel were on heightened alert, as military and police sources indicated concerns over potential Palestinian assaults coinciding with the anniversary of October 7, 2023, marking the onset of the most severe violence in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The unexpected attack by the Palestinian Islamist group, which has ties to Iran, represented a significant security lapse for Israel, a nation known for its robust and advanced military capabilities. The assault on Israeli settlements near Gaza, coupled with Israel’s ongoing military response, has further destabilized the Middle East, drawing international condemnation due to the extensive loss of life and destruction.

Israel has inflicted substantial damage on Hamas and Hezbollah through targeted assassinations of their leaders and commanders, part of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” which also encompasses the Houthis in Yemen and various armed factions in Iraq opposing Israeli and U.S. interests in the region.

Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, reportedly traveled to Lebanon following the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike. However, two senior Iranian security officials informed Reuters that Qaani has not been heard from since the strikes on Beirut late last week. One official noted that Qaani was present in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut during an attack aimed at senior Hezbollah figure Hashem Safieddine, although he was not in a meeting with Safieddine at that time.

The Quds Force, which is the international branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, oversees relationships with militias allied with Tehran throughout the Middle East, including Hezbollah. Additionally, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards was killed alongside Nasrallah in a bunker that was struck by Israeli bombs on September 27.

The conflict has increasingly shifted its focus northward to Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been engaged in exchanges of fire with Hezbollah since the Iranian-backed group initiated a missile barrage in support of Hamas on October 8. What started as limited daily skirmishes has escalated into significant bombardments targeting Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut, along with a ground offensive aimed at eliminating its fighters in border villages. This military action is intended to facilitate the return of tens of thousands of Israelis who have been evacuated from their homes in the northern part of the country.

Israel’s military campaign, which has resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 individuals in the last two weeks, has led to a mass exodus from southern Lebanon, displacing more than 1 million people. The intensification of hostilities has raised concerns that both the United States and Iran could become embroiled in a broader conflict in the oil-rich Middle East.

In retaliation for Israel’s operations in Lebanon and Gaza, where Hezbollah and Hamas militants are aligned with Tehran, Iran launched a missile attack on Israel last week. Israel has stated that its goal is to ensure the safe return of its citizens to their homes in the north, while also pledging to retaliate amid fears that the situation could escalate into a full-scale regional war involving the United States.