Hezbollah Rocket Strike Kills One, Injures Dozens in Nahariya
A man in his 30s was killed and at least 25 others were injured in a Hezbollah rocket strike on the northern Israeli city of Nahariya on Thursday, March 26, 2026, rescue services reported.
Rocket Attack and Casualties
Police stated that the man who was killed, along with a 50-year-old man who was seriously wounded, were attempting to reach a bomb shelter when a rocket struck a parking lot outside a residential building. Both men sustained severe shrapnel injuries. Medics pronounced the 30-year-old man dead at the scene.
Magen David Adom (MDA) reported that 13 additional people were treated for minor injuries caused by shrapnel or the blast, and 11 others were treated for acute anxiety. All 25 individuals were transported to a hospital for medical attention.
Eyewitness Account
Noa Avraham, a local mother of three, described the scene to Ynet news, stating, “I’d never experienced an impact so close. The explosion was the craziest I’ve ever heard in my life.” She further described the aftermath, noting the presence of onlookers, shattered glass, and distressed residents.
Avraham expressed a feeling of fear and abandonment, stating, “a feeling that the north is abandoned, invisible.”
Escalation of Hostilities
Hezbollah fired over 100 rockets at Israel on Thursday, in addition to dozens launched toward troops operating in southern Lebanon, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to this, Hezbollah launched several missiles at central Israel, which were intercepted by Israeli defense systems.
IDF Response and Ground Operations
The IDF has been conducting strikes in Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least five people, including two killed in a raid on a building in Nabatieh, a Hezbollah stronghold. The IDF Northern Command reports having killed over 750 Hezbollah operatives since hostilities escalated.
The IDF has expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon, with the 162nd Division conducting a raid in the western sector. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the IDF intends to establish a “security zone” in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River until the threat from Hezbollah is neutralized. Military officials aim to create a demilitarized zone controlled through surveillance, firepower, and ground troops.
Currently, four IDF divisions are deployed in southern Lebanon: the 146th, 91st, 36th, and 210th. The 98th Division, an elite formation, is preparing for deployment as part of the effort to establish the fresh security zone.
Hezbollah Commander Killed
The IDF announced the killing of Hassan Mohammad Bashir, a senior Hezbollah commander in the group’s anti-tank missile unit, in an airstrike the previous night. Bashir was responsible for hundreds of anti-tank missile attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.
Diplomatic Fallout
In Beirut, ministers from Hezbollah and its ally Amal boycotted a cabinet meeting in protest over the Lebanese government’s decision to declare the Iranian ambassador persona non grata.
Agencies and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.