Around 7:30 a.m. Jerusalem time (Saturday, March 22, 2025), sirens were activated in Metula in the Upper Galilee, and the IDF announced that three rockets crossing into Israeli territory were intercepted. It appears three additional rockets did not cross into Israel. Israeli medical services stated that they received no emergency calls related to rocket impacts or casualties.
Following this, Lebanese media reported Israeli artillery strikes toward the area of Yuhmur al-Shuqif in southern Lebanon. Al-Arabiya network reported that Lebanese officials are in contact with the committee overseeing the ceasefire agreement to prevent escalation with Israel.
Needless to Israel was quick to retaliate. The Israeli Air Force conducted a series of strikes in Lebanon: Toulin, Beit Lif, Jabal al-Rihan, and Iqlim al-Tuffah. pic.twitter.com/8gWaj5CjXG
— National Explainer (@NationalExReal) March 22, 2025
It was reported that two people were killed and ten wounded in Toulin, southern Lebanon.
The last rocket fire from Lebanon into Israel was carried out on December 2. This morning’s launches come in addition to rocket fire from Gaza and Yemen, which resumed this week after the IDF returned to combat in the Gaza Strip following the collapse of the hostage deal.
Following the rocket fire from Lebanon, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated: “We will not allow a situation where rockets are fired from Lebanon at communities in the Galilee. We promised security for the Galilee communities — and that is exactly what will be. Metula is no different from Beirut. The Lebanese government is responsible for any fire emanating from its territory. I have instructed the IDF to respond accordingly.”
This is how the violation was covered by the BBC and Reuters:
Notice how both BBC and Reuters began their coverage with “Israel strikes,” rather than “Lebanon violates ceasefire, Israel retaliates.” Most readers don’t look beyond the headline, and often not even past the first few words. Both outlets also buried the fact that rockets were fired toward Metula, a civilian town, mentioning it only midway through their articles rather than upfront.
It’s also interesting to note that they published their articles only after Israel retaliated, rather than immediately after the rocket fire from Lebanon.
Reuters described Hezbollah as a “Lebanese armed group,” while the BBC referred to it as an “Iranian-backed militia and political group in southern Lebanon,” despite Hezbollah clearly being a terrorist organization holding the entire nation of Lebanon hostage, a fact both outlets conveniently overlooked.
This is nothing but a blatant attempt to smear Israel and portray it as the aggressor.