Hezbollah Targets Israeli Positions in Golan Heights with Dozens of Rockets

In the midst of threats from the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding an imminent attack on Israeli interests, Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants launched dozens of Katyusha rockets at Israeli positions on Friday, April 12. Hezbollah stated in a statement that they targeted Israeli artillery in Al-Zahura in the Golan Heights with dozens of Katyusha rockets. The Israeli army reported that 'approximately 40 launches from Lebanese territory were identified, some of which were intercepted.' The statement noted that 'no damage was reported' and added that they had previously intercepted two Hezbollah drones that had crossed from Lebanon. Since the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 6 of last year, initiating the war in Gaza, Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, has engaged in cross-border fire exchanges with the Israeli army almost daily. The official Lebanese news agency reported bombings of several villages near the border by Israel. Meanwhile, the White House on Friday, April 12, described the threat of an imminent attack by the Islamic Republic on Israel as 'real and credible,' emphasizing the United States' commitment to defending Israel and protecting American citizens and interests. John Kirby, the White House Strategic Communications Coordinator, stated during a conference call that the United States is assessing the status of its forces in the region in light of the threats from the Islamic Republic and is closely monitoring the situation. Regarding the threats from the Islamic Republic against Israel, he said, 'We certainly take the public threats from Iranian officials about attacking Israel seriously and consider them a very credible threat from Iran. We maintain continuous communication with our Israeli counterparts to ensure they can defend themselves against such attacks.' He refrained from detailing discussions between U.S. and Israeli officials or intelligence sources, asserting that the United States believes this 'remains a credible threat.' This senior National Security Council media official stated that, in this context, General Michael Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited Israel to discuss with Israeli military commanders their readiness to counter threats from the Iranian government. Kirby continued, 'We are closely monitoring the situation, and President Joe Biden's National Security team updates him several times a day on the latest developments in the Middle East.' According to John Kirby, Biden has emphasized to his National Security team that the protection of Israel's security is very serious to him. Reports from the Times of Israel indicate that Zahidi was a member of the 'Hezbollah Council of Lebanon.' Hezbollah Lebanon stated that a response from the Iranian government is on the way; Israel stated that they are prepared with layered defense. Associated Press reported that the U.S. is preparing for potential 'retaliatory attacks' from the Islamic Republic. The Israeli army stated that a senior member of Hezbollah's missile unit was killed in a drone strike. An Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, reportedly killed 38 people, according to two security sources speaking to Reuters.