Israel raises alert on northern border amid Hezbollah retaliation threats

Israel’s Maariv newspaper is reporting that the Israeli army has put its troops on high alert along the Lebanese border amid threats by Hezbollah to retaliate for an alleged Israeli air strike against one of its bases near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

The Israeli army intensified its presence near residential areas in the region and instructed civilians, particularly farmers, not to approach the border fence fearing sniper attacks.

The Shiite Hezbollah group claimed on Wednesday that an Israeli air strike targeted one of its bases near the Lebanese-Syrian border and threatened that it will respond in a timely and appropriate manner. Lebanon’s state news agency carried news of the attack. Israeli officials refused to confirm the strike, but insisted that they have the right to act.

Israeli army sources now reportedly fear that Hezbollah may target senior army officers in retaliation.