Israel Hit by Large Hezbollah Missile Attack; Ceasefire Push Continues as Rabbi Murdered in UAE

JERUSALEM, Israel – Hezbollah launched more than 250 rockets, drones, and missiles Sunday in one of its largest barrages against Israel since the beginning of the war.

The barrages came as Israel and Hezbollah considered a U.S.-mediated ceasefire proposal.

The rocket assault sent Israelis in Tel Aviv rushing to bomb shelters and damaged buildings in Haifa and other cities in central Israel. Several people were hurt in the strikes.

In Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces also kept up their attacks against the Iranian-backed terror group, blasting command centers in Beirut to stop the launches and to destroy Hezbollah's ability to wage war.   

Amid the warfare, reports emerged that Israel has agreed to a ceasefire, at least in principle, although there are still reportedly some concerns.

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, stated, "We must pressure the Israeli government and maintain the pressure on Hezbollah to accept the US proposal for a ceasefire. This was agreed. This proposal is pending with a final agreement with the Israeli government."

Yet, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reports that a pro-Israel daily, Al-Amin, is saying a ceasefire would only be the end of the current round of Hezbollah's effort to destroy Israel – a measure to give the Shi'ite group time to rebuild.

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the free CBN News app to ensure you receive the latest updates and alerts.*** 

"Honesty compels us to say very calmly that the end of this round of fighting with the enemy does not mean the end of the resistance, and that rebuilding the might of the resistance ... is the task today ... and it will gain momentum in the future, and at any point in time," Al-Amin declared.

Israeli Middle East analyst Hananya Naftali told CBN News, "Thinking about making peace with Hezbollah is – I would say – it's like planting thorns and expecting to see roses. You just can't. Especially because Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that swore to destroy Israel."

Naftali added, "If there's one thing that we learned from the Holocaust is that when people are threatened with our annihilation, we believe them, and we take that seriously. So people outside of Israel, they wouldn't they wouldn't stand for that.  So why in the case of Israel, why should we – you know, why are they calling us to try and solve things diplomatically? I'm sure that America wouldn't tolerate one missile fired at the United States." 

Meanwhile, in another part of the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates on Sunday arrested three individuals it says are suspected of murdering Zvi Kogan, a prominent rabbi in that Gulf nation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a criminal anti-Semitic terrorist attack.  "The State of Israel will act by all means and bring justice to the murderers and their senders," Netanyahu announced.

Some suspect the murder was an Iranian-backed assassination.

Israel's Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli posted on X that Iran is responsible, and that, "It is our duty to overthrow this regime, the root of evil in the Middle East."