‘There was no widespread panic in Beirut due to Israeli strikes’
David Wood of the International Crisis Group says the attack created a sense of fear among people in Beirut, but they were also prepared. “It is an unfortunate reality of recent months in Lebanon and people have been quite prepared,” he said.
The analyst, speaking from the Lebanese capital, said people were worried, but there was no widespread panic. Wood stressed that the power and influence over the decisions of the Netanyahu government lie in Washington.
“But, of course, it is an urgent priority for all the members of the international community who have diplomatic relations with Lebanon and Israel to encourage both sides to implement to ceasefire agreement,” he said.
“If Israel wants the ceasefire to succeed, it should give the Lebanese side the opportunity [to uphold] its side of the ceasefire,” Wood added.
Wood said that Israel did not give Lebanon the chance to investigate the rockets fired this morning by swiftly striking.
Almost like Israel was waiting for an incident to launch more attacks, perhaps even forcing an incident... Where stands the investigation of last weekends rocket fire that prompted Israel to launch 200 strikes on Lebanon... (404 not found)
Lebanese Army locates rocket launch site in south Lebanon
https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1453782/lebanese-army-finds-rocket-launch-site-in-south-lebanon.html
The Lebanese Army located the site where two rockets were fired toward northern Israel on Friday morning and has subsequently launched an investigation into who is responsible for the attack, which Hezbollah has firmly denied any involvement in.
The rockets were reportedly launched from an area in Qaaqaait al-Jisr, in the Nabatieh district, north of the Litani River.
العدو الإسرائيلي يصعّد اعتداءاته على لبنان متذرعًا بإطلاق صاروخين من الأراضي اللبنانية نحو الأراضي الفلسطينية المحتلة
صدر عن قيادة الجيش - مديرية التوجيه البيان الآتي:
صعّد العدو الإسرائيلي اعتداءاته على لبنان متذرعًا بإطلاق صاروخين من الأراضي اللبنانية نحو الأراضي الفلسطينية… pic.twitter.com/CuXCkJY8Oh
— الجيش اللبناني (@LebarmyOfficial) March 28, 2025
In a statement, the army condemned the Israeli retaliation, which it described as an escalation of aggression, using the rocket fire as a pretext to target multiple areas in southern Lebanon, including Beirut. The army called these actions a "blatant and repeated violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and its citizens' security," accusing Israel of violating international law and breaching the cease-fire agreement.
Not that Israel ever adheres to Proportionality or anything else in International Humanitarian Law.
While in Paris for meetings with the French president, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun released a statement affirming Hezbollah's firm denial of involvement in the attacks. “Everything indicates Hezbollah is not responsible” for the rocket fire towards Israel, Aoun said.
The army’s units, deployed across various regions, are actively monitoring the situation and urging citizens to follow safety instructions to avoid further harm. The military emphasized that it is taking necessary measures to control the situation along the southern borders.
