Hezbollah launches new attack on northern Israel; Netanyahu urges allies to give up 'petty politics'

The Israeli Army said that Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched a new round of projectiles into northern Israel on Wednesday (June 19), after Israel's warning of a "total war" with the militant group supported by Iran.

Meanwhile,Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged his political allies to "get a grip" and give up "petty politics" in the wake of high-profile arguments between members of his coalition.

In an online video address, Netanyahu stated, "We are at war on several fronts, and we face great challenges and difficult decisions. Therefore, I strongly demand that all coalition partners get a grip and rise to the occasion."

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"This is not the time for petty politics, this is not the time for legislation that endangers the coalition that is fighting for victory over our enemies," he said.

“We must all focus solely on the tasks before us: defeating Hamas, returning all our hostages and returning our residents safely to their homes, both in the north and in the south. And so I demand from everyone — put aside any other consideration. Put aside any partisan interest. Stand as one, together, behind our troops,” Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu's appeal follows a public spat between his Likud party and Itamar Ben Gvir, the leader of Otzma Yehudit, in which the former accused the latter of disclosing "state secrets."

Since the Palestinian militant group's strike on southern Israel on October 7, which sparked the Gaza war, Israel and Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, have been exchanging gunfire almost every day.

The military claimed in a statement that "approximately 15 projectiles were identified from Lebanon toward the area of Kiryat Shmona, several of which were intercepted by IDF (army) aerial defence array."

It stated that "IDF artillery struck the sources of fire" and that there were no injuries as a result of the incoming fire.

According to the military, its warplanes also destroyed infrastructure in Khiam, Lebanon, and a Hezbollah military military near Tyre.

In response to the "Israeli enemy attacks" on Yarun and Khiam, Hezbollah stated on Wednesday that it had launched "dozens of Katyusha rockets and artillery rounds" at a barracks in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel.

The conflict on Wednesday occurred the day after the Israeli military declared that operational preparations for an invasion of Lebanon had been authorised.

The military released a statement saying, "As part of the situational assessment, operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated."

The decision coincided with Hezbollah's threat of destruction in the case of a "total war" between Israel and Palestine, issued on Tuesday by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz.

According to a statement released by his office, "We are very close to the moment when we will decide to change the rules of the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon."

“In a total war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be hit hard,” the statement added.

According to an AFP count, the Israel-Lebanon clashes have claimed the lives of at least 473 individuals in Lebanon, the majority of them were militants but also included 92 civilians.

According to Israeli officials, the country's north has seen the deaths of at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians.

(With inputs from agencies)