Hezbollah Allegedly Wades Into Israel-Gaza Conflict as Rockets from Lebanon Launched

Lebanese and Palestinian protesters burn an Israeli flag during a demonstration to denounce Israeli air strikes on the Gaza strip, in Lebanon's southern port-city of Sidon.Reuters

The Lebanon-based Shiite militant group Hezbollah is suspected to have joined the simmering Israel-Gaza conflict as rockets from Lebanon strike Israel's Metulla.

Yet-unconfirmed reports suggest the rockets were fired by Palestine-linked militant groups in Lebanon and not by the Islamist outfit Hezbollah, which is widely perceived to be the long-arm of Iran.

At least two rockets from southern Lebanon landed in northern Israel.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the rockets were fired from the Hasbaya region after an initial attempt failed to take off from another region. The rockets did not cause damages or casualties.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have turned to the UN alerting the international observers present in Lebanon over the attack. The remnants of the rockets were found near Kiryat Shemona, located in the region bordering Lebanon.

If it is confirmed that firing was carried out by Hezbollah, it would be a serious escalation in the ongoing crisis. Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian civil war in support of President Bashar al-Assad has already tilted the balance in favour of the Damascus regime in recent years.

Smoke and flames are seen following what police said was an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza StripReuters

Meanwhile, the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip region has already claimed the lives of at least 90 Palestinians in the four-day long attack. There are no reported casualties on the Israeli side so far.

Israeli fighter jets continue to bombard suspected militant targets in the region. The Palestinian side says most of the casualties are however women and children. On Thursday (10 July) alone, Israel hit more than 100 targets.

Amid the worsening crisis, the US has offered to help broker a ceasefire between the sides, President Barack Obama has said.

Following a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said Obama expressed concerns that the present fighting could intensify further and urged "all sides to do everything they can to protect the lives of civilians."