ISRAEL BLITZED

Hezbollah's 100-missile onslaught rocks city

- CHRIS HUGHES

ISRAELI city Haifa has come under its biggest-ever attack with a huge barrage of bombs unleashed by Hezbollah.

The militant group in Lebanon directed 100 missiles at the northern city and its outskirts.

The onslaught came as Israel's military pushed on with its air and ground offensive in Lebanon.

Hezbollah acting leader Naim Kassem said in a televised statement: "We are firing hundreds of rockets and dozens of drones.

"A large number of settlements and cities are under the fire of the resistance. Our capabilities are fine and our fighters are deployed along the front lines." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged Lebanon's citizens to get rid of Hezbollah.

He added: "Do you remember when your country was called the pearl of the Middle East? "What happened to Lebanon? A gang of tyrants and terrorists destroyed it, that's what happened.

Israel withdrew from Lebanon 25 years ago but the country that actually conquered Lebanon is not Israel - it's Iran.

"Iran, which finances and arms Hezbollah to serve Iran's interests at Lebanon's expense." It is believed 10 people suffered minor injuries in the attack on Haifa, when some bombs breached the Iron Dome defence system.

Those that landed exploded in the suburbs of Kiryat Yam and Kiryat Motzkin. Sirens wailed and thousands of people ran for bomb shelters during the attacks, which came in two waves at around noon. Some homes were damaged, police said.

Israel's air force then launched retaliatory strikes against Lebanon's capital, Beirut.

Hezbollah has upped its attacks on Haifa and other areas since Israel's army launched its ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

Israel's military claims a strike on Beirut killed senior Hezbollah commander Suhail Husseini, who was said to be in charge of smugling weapons into Lebanon.