Hezbollah and Iran sent drones and rockets into Israel within minutes of each other on Wednesday [Getty]
Hezbollah and Iran’s rocket and drone attacks on Israel on Wednesday were coordinated, Israeli officials believe, marking the first sign of direct collaboration in attacks since the outbreak of the latest conflict.
Israeli security officials were cited by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster as saying that the simultaneous launches were not coincidences.
Sirens sounded across central and northern Israel as the barrages travelled towards their targets.
At around 1:14pm local time, according to Israeli media, residents of central Israel received alerts for an incoming missile from Iran. Israeli authorities said the missile was intercepted; however, minutes later, sirens sounded again due to an attack by Hezbollah.
Further attacks happened later in the day, including an Iranian missile targeting the Jerusalem area, and further launches by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The coordination between Iran and Hezbollah indicates that the two parties are continuing to function as part of Tehran’s self-styled “Axis of Resistance” against Israel.
Following the previous rounds of fighting between Israel, Hezbollah and Iran, it was believed that Iran and its coordination with its non-state allies had been largely downgraded.
Other allies of Iran – most notably Yemen’s Houthi group – have yet to enter the conflict.
Hezbollah resumed its attacks on Israel after Tel Aviv assassinated Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
Israel and Hezbollah agreed a ceasefire in November 2024 that largely ended their last round of fighting, however Israel continued to carry out near-daily strikes on Lebanon.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a televised speech that the group would confront what he described as an Israeli plan of “occupation and expansion”.
“For us, this is an existential defence,” he said.
Israel’s latest strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 102 people and left hundreds more injured. More than 83,000 people have been displaced by the Israeli attacks, primarily in the country’s south.
Israeli forces have also moved further into Lebanon’s, occupying a larger area of the country’s territory.
Sources told Reuters on Thursday that members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force had received orders to join the battle and block advances by Israeli tanks.
