Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
Overview
1. At 18:50 on the evening of October 27 a rocket, apparently 107mm, was fired into Israeli territory from the area of Wadi Jamal near the Shi’ite village of Houla in the central sector of south Lebanon. The rocket hit was identified in an open area near the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shemonah. There were no casualties but vegetation was burned (IDF Spokesman, October 27, 2009). As of this writing no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack. The IDF responded by firing shells at the area from which the rocket was launched. 2. Immediately after the rocket fire UNIFIL and Lebanese army forces arrived to investigate the incident. According to a statement from the Lebanese army, the following morning four additional rockets ready for firing were discovered at the launching site. They were found in the yard of a house under construction on the outskirts of the village of Houla. The house belonged to Houla mayor Feisal Hejazi (Lebanese News Agency, October 28, 2009). Interviewed on television, Feisal Hejazi claimed to have been surprised that the rockets were found in his yard, stating that they were apparently put there during the night (NTV, October 29, 2009).
Al-Arabia TV, October 28, 2009
Searching the yard in Houla (Al-Arabia TV, October 28, 2009).
3. The rocket was the sixth fired since the end of the second Lebanon war (2006). On September 11, 2009, three rockets were fired at the western Galilee and north Israel on from the region of the town of Qulaylah (See table below). In our assessment, most of the fire was carried out by networks affiliated with the global jihad in an attempt to challenge the Lebanese government and Hezbollah with attacks clearly violating UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Al-Arabia TV, October 28, 2009
Some of the evidence in the yard of the house in Houla, where four other rockets ready
for launching were found (Al-Arabia TV, October 28, 2009).
Reactions
Lebanon
4. The event was followed by a wave of reactions:
i) Sources within Hezbollah said that the area around Houla was not under its control and that “the organization, along with the Lebanese army, was following developments and the investigations” (LBC, October 28, 2009).
ii) Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said that he did not rule out the possibility that Israel was behind the rocket launchings because such an action was in accordance with Israel’s policy and served as an excuse to continue its intelligence operations in Lebanon (Quwaiti News Agency, Oct 28, 2009).
iii) Interim Prime Minister Fuad Seniora deplored the fact that Lebanese territory was being used as a rocket launching pad. He also criticized what he called “Israel's aggressive response.” He said that the Lebanese government would investigate the event, which violated Security Council Resolution 1701, and would prevent a recurrence (Lebanese News Agency, October 27, 2009).
iv) Houla mayor Feisal Hejazi, in whose yard the rockets were found, said the Lebanese security forces were responsible for the rocket fire because they had not safeguarded “civilian security” (NTV, October 28, 2009).
UNIFIL
5. UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane said that UNIFIL and the Lebanese army were investigating to determine responsibility for the rocket fire. She called the attack a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and said that those responsible wanted to renew hostilities in south Lebanon to undermine the current stability and security. She added that the Israeli Air Force overflights in Lebanese air space were also in violation of the resolution and of Lebanese sovereignty (Press TV, October 28, 2009). She called on Israel and Lebanon to show restraint and not take any measures which would increase the tension (Lebanon Now, October 28, 2009).
Appendix
Other attacks since the end of the second Lebanon war
Date
Event
Casualties
1
Dec 30, 2009
Two or three 122mm rockets were fired into the western Galilee from the town of Qulaylah in the western sector of south Lebanon. They fell in open areas. No damage was done (IDF Spokesman, September 11, 2009).
There were no casualties.
2
Feb 21, 2009
In the morning two rockets fell near the town of Mai'ilya in the western Galilee.
Three civilians sustained minor injuries.
3
Jan 8, 2009
In the morning hours during the height of Operation Cast Lead, two or three rockets were fired from the western sector of south Lebanon at the western Galilee. One of them hit an old age home in the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, damaging the building. Another rocket landed in a village in the western Galilee.
Several residents of the old age home in Nahariya sustained minor injuries.
4
Jan 8, 2008
In the morning the remains of two rockets were found in the city of Shelomi in the western Galilee. Examination indicated that they were 107mm rockets fired during the night. Parts of one were found on a back porch and of the other nearby. There was slight property damage.
There were no casualties.
5
Jun 17, 2007
In the afternoon three 107mm rockets were fired from the area between the towns of Tayyibah and Udaysah. Two of them landed in Kiryat Shemonah, causing property damage, and one inside Lebanon between Udayssh and Kafr Killa. A fourth rocket, ready for launching, was found and dismantled by Lebanese army forces.
There were no casualties.
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