Hezbollah takes responsibility for attacks on Israeli military posts along Lebanon border

The militant group Hezbollah took responsibility Friday for targeting Israeli military posts with small-arms fire along the country’s border with Lebanon, and the Israelis responded with artillery strikes. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a tweet that one of its drones is “currently striking terrorist targets belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon.” 

The back and forth comes as Hezbollah Deputy Chief Naim Kassem said at a rally near Beirut on Friday that the group is ready to jump into the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

“The behind-the-scenes calls with us by great powers, Arab countries, envoys of the United Nations, directly and indirectly telling us not to interfere will have no effect,” he said, according to Reuters. “Hezbollah knows its duties perfectly well. We are prepared and ready, fully ready.”

LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL AT WAR WITH HAMAS 

“The question being asked, which everyone is waiting for, is what Hezbollah will do and what will its contribution be?” Kassem reportedly added. “We will contribute to the confrontation within our plan. … When the time comes for any action, we will carry it out.” 

More than 1,300 Israelis were killed and thousands more wounded when Hamas launched a surprise terror attack on the Jewish state Saturday. As many as 150 people are believed to have been taken captive by terrorists and held in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. 

ISRAELI FORCES ENTERED GAZA FOR LOCALIZED RAIDS, IDF TELLS FOX NEWS 

Israel has called up some 360,000 military reservists to respond to the Hamas-led terror campaign. Those forces have gathered on Israel’s border with Gaza ahead of a possible full-scale invasion to reclaim the hostages and eliminate Hamas terrorists. 

Israel has warned the 1.1 million people living in the north of Gaza to evacuate the area within 24 hours as a “humanitarian step in order to minimize civilian casualties” ahead of the military’s response to Hamas’ terrorist attacks. 

 

The IDF also told Fox News its infantry forces and tanks entered the Gaza Strip on Friday to conduct localized raids. 

Fox News’ Trey Yingst and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.