Tuesday”s Katyusha Fired from Balcony of Houla”s Municipality Chief
A Katyusha fired from southern Lebanon on Tuesday appeared to have been launched from the balcony of Houla”s Municipality chief Faisal Hijazi, investigation into the attack revealed Thursday.
Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, citing security sources, said Lebanese army troops and UNIFIL found a rocket launcher on the balcony of Hijazi”s house in Houla.
They said Hijazi left home at 4:30pm and headed to Bir el-Salassil in Bint Jbeil where he resides.
The Lebanese army and UNIFIL on Wednesday defused four rockets set for launching in the outskirts of Houla a day after a Katyusha fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel prompted the Jewish state to retaliate with artillery fire.
Tuesday”s attack, which was not immediately claimed, was the latest incident in growing cross-border tensions, and an Israeli military spokeswoman laid ultimate blame on the Beirut government.
Voice of Lebanon radio said Wednesday that the rockets were found on the same launch pad used during the attack the day before.
The National News Agency said three of the Katyushas were found in the garden of Houla municipality chief Faisal Hijazi and one at his house porch.
UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano inspected the area where the rockets were found, NNA added.
Tuesday”s rocket landed in open ground east of the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona and started a fire but caused no serious damage, sources there said.
An Israeli military spokeswoman later confirmed that "artillery had opened fire on the sector from which the Katyusha rocket was fired."
She said the army considered the attack as "serious, and considers that responsibility for it falls on the Lebanese government."
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gabriela Shalev has filed an official complaint with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council president over the Katyusha rocket attack, Israeli media reported.
U.N. peacekeeping troops and the Lebanese army cut off the road to Houla and searched the area.
UNIFIL spokeswoman Yasmina Bouziane said an inquiry has begun.
"UNIFIL immediately launched an investigation," she said, adding that the force had deployed additional troops in the area in coordination with the Lebanese army.
There were no reports of casualties on either side, Bouziane confirmed.