Israelis celebrate Passover under barrages of missiles from Lebanon, Iran

Iran fired at least 10 missiles, divided into separate launches throughout the night, causing damage to property in a number of locations.

By JNS

Hezbollah continued to fire rockets and drones at Israel throughout Thursday, after it had launched a large barrage of projectiles the previous day at the Jewish state as millions of Israelis sat down to celebrate the first night of Passover.

Since the start of the holiday, the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist organization fired some 100 rockets, mostly toward the Galilee Panhandle, Israel’s Channel 12 broadcaster reported.

Two men, aged 85 and 34, sustained light injuries from direct hits on a building in Kiryat Shmona on Thursday morning, according to Ynet.

Significant damage was inflicted on property, with projectiles devastating a private home in Kiryat Shmona and hitting a McDonald’s branch at Gan Hazafon (“Northern Garden”), near Kibbutz Hagoshrim in the northern part of the Panhandle.

In the afternoon, Hezbollah fired five rockets at the Haifa District, as well as at Acre, according to Channel 12. No injuries or hits were reported from this barrage.

On April 1, as millions of people were readying for the Seder meal, rocket-warning sirens sounded across Israel at 5:19 p.m. as missiles from Iran and Lebanon were fired at the Jewish state.

Iran fired at least 10 missiles, divided into separate launches throughout the night, causing damage to property in a number of locations.

Two apartment buildings were hit from bomblets of cluster munitions in separate incidents in the cities of Rosh Haayin and Ramat Gan, according to Ynet.

A playground in Petach Tikvah was devastated and a Hezbollah rocket hit an open area near Hadera.

Civilians kept waking up to more rocket-alert sirens into the night in central and northern Israel.

Ahead of the holiday, Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated, “Our defense systems are deployed and ready to intercept threats across the country. Even on the eve of the holiday, it is important to remember that the defense is not hermetic—I call on you to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command.”

He continued, “We have prepared for the holiday evening in order to provide the best possible support to each of our soldiers in every sector. Most of them are not celebrating the holiday with you. Be proud of them. They are acting with dedication, determination and responsibility for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens even during this holiday.”

On Thursday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for attacking Israeli civilians on the eve of Passover, vowing to slay its secretary-general Naim Qassem.