Hezbollah claims to target IDF base with ‘Burkan’ missile

The Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah claimed on April 17 that it targeted the headquarters of the IDF’s 91st division in Biranit in northern Israel, according to a report at the pro-Iranian Al-Mayadeen media. Sirens sounded in the area of Alkosh, Matat, Fassuta, Netua and Hurfeish on April 17 in the morning.

The 91st division is responsible for the Lebanese border. Hezbollah has claimed to target the base of the division in the past and has also targeted IDF northern command in Safed and also targeted an IDF facility on Mount Meron in the past.

Hezbollah appears to be trying to increase tensions in the north. On April 16 it flew two drones into Israeli airspace and carried out other attacks. This follows the large attack Hezbollah carried out to support the Iranian attack on the night of April 13-14 in which Hezbollah fired more than 150 rockets at IDF bases in the Golan.

On April 17 Al-Mayadeen noted that Hezbollah “in solidarity with Gaza and in response to the attacks on Lebanese villages, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announces that it has targeted sites belonging to the Israeli occupation on the border with occupied Palestine.” The Burkan missile has a heavy warhead but can only be fired a short distance.

Israel has wanted Hezbollah to be removed from the border area so it can’t fire large missiles like this and also anti-tank missiles which has used since it began attacks on Israel on October 8 to back Hamas. Hezbollah has fired more than 3,200 missiles and rockets at Israel over six months of attacks.

Hezbollah strikes Israel targets

A Hezbollah fighter stands in front of anti-tank artillery at Juroud Arsal, the Syria-Lebanon border, July 29, 2017. (credit: ALI HASHISHO/REUTERS)

A Hezbollah fighter stands in front of anti-tank artillery at Juroud Arsal, the Syria-Lebanon border, July 29, 2017. (credit: ALI HASHISHO/REUTERS)

Hezbollah claimed, according to Al-Mayadeen, that it also “targeted a new deployment of Israeli occupation army soldiers south of the same barracks, using rocket weapons and artillery shells, twice in two separate operations.” It claimed to target an area called “Ramia.” It was not clear where this is. Also Hezbollah said they targeted an IDF vehicle near Metulla on the northern border.

In the same report, Hezbollah claimed to target an “Iron Dome battery in Kfar Blum.” Hezbollah claims some of its recent attacks are in “response” to Israel targeting Lebanon and also IDF strikes in the Bekaa valley. It was not clear which strikes the report was referring to, but Hezbollah often claims it is “responding” various attacks and it has an “equation” it uses to decide how to respond.

For instance, the report also says “yesterday, the resistance announced that it had targeted the headquarters of the air control unit in Meron, explaining that it was done with missile and artillery weapons.It targeted the headquarters of the 769th Eastern Brigade Command in Kiryat Shmona, and the headquarters of the 146th Division Command in Gaaton, using, in both operations, Katyusha rockets.” The 769th is the eastern brigade of the 91st division. The 146th is an IDF reserve brigade.

At the same time the report says that the Lebanese Shi’ite movement Amal is mourning the death of “Hussein Qassem Karsht, who died as a martyr following an Israeli aggression against the town of Ain Baal, south of Lebanon.” Amal published an image of him on April 16.

The recent Hezbollah claims indicate how it weighs its decision-making and how it poses as a military group targeting military sites. Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed terrorist group, but it wants to pretend it is defending Lebanon and that it is primarily targeting the IDF in its attacks.

In fact it has damaged and destroyed around 800 homes in northern Israel and forced 50,000 people to be evacuated from the border.