Israel struck Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in Lebanon on Sunday in response to rocket and mortar attacks on its northern border in the second day of fending off Islamist militants.

UN peacekeepers on Sunday said they detected several rockets fired from southeast Lebanon toward Israeli-occupied territory and artillery fire from Israel to Lebanon in response.

“We are in contact with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line, at all levels, to contain the situation and avoid a more serious escalation,” officials with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said. “We urge everyone to exercise restrain and make use of UNIFIL’s liaison and coordination mechanisms to de-escalate and prevent a fast deterioration of the security situation.”

Analysts fear the northern front will open into a full-scale military operation, forcing the Israeli Defence Forces to tackle a multi-front war.

Hezbollah has about 150,000 rockets in southern Lebanon, with most concealed inside civilian buildings, and possesses precision-guided missiles that can change course during flight, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank. 

“Iran has a deliberate strategy, long in the planning and execution, of surrounding Israel with a ring of fire on multiple fronts — none more dangerous than Israel’s northern border with Iran-backed Hezbollah. That has forced the IDF to allocate its limited resources to the northern border, Syria, and the West Bank as Iran-directed violence has heightened in recent months,” Mark Dubowitz, the think tank’s CEO, said in a statement. “We will know in the coming days whether Iran is ready to activate Hezbollah to light up that border or save the terror proxy’s firepower for a possible Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and regime assets.”

The terror group receives about $700 million annually from Tehran, significantly more than Iran’s other Palestinian terror proxies, FDD said.

Israeli media is reporting at least 600 deaths from the terror attacks in Gaza while the Israeli Defense Forces reported Sunday that it had killed more than 400 Palestinian terrorists since the start of the war. 

Israel’s health ministry said more than 1,800 Israelis have been wounded with more almost 400 listed in serious conditions. 

An IDF spokesman said Hamas was committing war crimes by focusing its attacks on innocent victims.

“Taking women and children captive violates international law and goes against Islam,” Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said. “Whoever took part will pay the price.”

He said Israel’s war against Hamas has been difficult and that there will be challenging days ahead for the country.

“The IDF is strong and will use every bit of its strength and power,” Rear Adm. Hagari said.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.