The announcement from Hezbollah. (Credit: Hezbollah Telegram account)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah announced Tuesday the launch of its “Khaybar 1” operations against Israel, hours after Tehran confirmed the killing of senior official Ali Larijani in an Israeli strike — just weeks after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, which marked the start of the Israeli-U.S. offensive.
In two statements published as part of its operation dubbed "Khaybar 1" (named after the battle of Khaybar) Hezbollah announced several attacks against the Israeli army in the evening.
The party said it fired rockets at 8:30 p.m. toward Kiryat Shmona, Metula, Malikiyah, Dayshoun, Avivim, Kfar Baloun, Ramot Naftali, Zariit, Shtoula, Avin Menahim and Beit Halal.
It also said it targeted at the same time the Meron base, which is dedicated to surveillance and the management of aerial operations. Another base was targeted in the city of Safad, as well as the headquarters of the northern regional command in the same locality.
The party had already announced the launch of “Khaybar” operations on Oct. 1, 2024, a few days after the assassination of its former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, on Sept. 27. At that time, it targeted sites in the Tel Aviv area, about a hundred kilometers from the Blue Line.
The Battle of Khaybar, in 628, six years after the Hijra, pitted the Prophet Muhammad and his companions against a Jewish community established in the oasis of the same name, in the northwest of present-day Saudi Arabia.
