Israel Attacks Targets in Gaza and Beirut on Anniversary of Hamas Terrorist Attack

Late on Sunday, just hours before the first anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas, which triggered the ongoing war in the region, Israel bombed targets in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese group Hezbollah, which has suffered heavy losses, including the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah in Israeli attacks, launched a rocket attack on the city of Haifa in northern Israel on Sunday evening. According to Reuters, some of Hezbollah's rockets passed through Israel's air defense systems and landed in Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, causing damage to buildings, according to police reports. Hezbollah, which, like Hamas, is supported by the Iranian government, claimed to have targeted a military site in southern Haifa with a large number of 'Fadi 1' missiles. Israeli media reported that at least 10 people were injured in the rocket attacks on Haifa and Tiberias. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on southern Beirut late on Sunday were the heaviest bombardment of the Lebanese capital since Israel intensified its operations against Hezbollah last month. Israeli fighter jets targeted locations in Beirut that belonged to Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters and weapon depots. Hezbollah positions in the Bekaa region of southern Lebanon were also attacked. Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army had told residents in southern Beirut to evacuate the areas in anticipation of further attacks. On Sunday evening, Israel declared three more areas on its northern border as military zones, in addition to more than five areas that had been closed the previous week. On the eve of the first anniversary of the October 7 attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised victory, stating that Israel would prevail in its battle against Iranian-backed militants in Gaza and Lebanon. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also emphasized on Sunday, referring to last week's missile attack by the Iranian government, that all options for retaliation against the main enemy, the Islamic Republic, are on the table. According to Israeli statistics, the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, with over 250 taken hostage. The surprise attack by Hamas led to Israel's assault on Gaza. According to Palestinian health officials in the war-torn Gaza Strip, around 42,000 people have died. Voice of America is unable to independently verify the accuracy of these claims by Palestinian officials. On the eve of the October 7 attack anniversary, several Palestinian supporters protested against Israel from Jakarta to Istanbul and Rabat. Prior to them, protests occurred in Europe and the U.S. on Saturday. The Islamic Republic launched a missile attack on Israel for the second time this year last week, following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israel, which has stated its goal is the safe return of tens of thousands of citizens to their homes in northern Israel, has promised retaliation for the Iranian government's attack, raising concerns about escalating tensions leading to a full-scale regional conflict. Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defense minister, said on Sunday that Israel would independently decide how to respond to the recent Iranian attack, despite coordination with the United States. Gallant, who is scheduled to meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday, stated in an interview with CNN, 'All options are on the table. Israel has capabilities to target both near and far objectives. We have proven this.' Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had stated that Israel's 'long arm' reaches everywhere in Iran. On Sunday, the U.S. government reacted to Israel's heavy bombardment of Lebanon, stating that military pressure could enable diplomacy but could also lead to miscalculations. The U.S. supported Israel's approach in ceasefire negotiations regarding Gaza. Israeli media reported on a U.S. proposal to the Netanyahu government in exchange for not attacking 'specific targets' in Iran. Reuters quoted 'two senior security officials' in Iran stating that there has been no news from Ismail Qaani for a week. A Voice of America reporter, after returning from Lebanon, stated that the Iranian government pursues an ideology of death.