This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

JERUSALEM – The lid on the pot, which has been covering the simmering tensions between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group – Hezbollah – since Oct. 8, threatened to come off overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning, as the feared all-out war draws ever closer.

Hezbollah fired approximately 150 missiles at wide swathes of Israel's north – including the country's third-largest city – and one with a largely mixed population of Jews and Arabs – Haifa – purportedly in retaliation for a week of massive losses for Iran's proxy.

Hezbollah's overnight volleys targeted the fertile and agriculturally important Jezreel Valley too, the deepest attempted strikes into Israel since the jihadists began shooting their rockets and missiles almost a year ago.

Incoming rocket alert sirens blared throughout the night, as Hezbollah terrorists fired indiscriminately toward Israeli population centers, including towns such as Afula and Nazareth – the latter being a town with a 70% Muslim, 30% Christian split, and which is famous for being a key locus in Jesus' life.

Iranians hold the blood of Arabs – especially Christian Arabs pretty cheaply – and it means nothing to them if their quest for regional domination targets these people. In an amusing twist, Christian Arabs could be seen posing in Nazareth with a fragment of one of Hezbollah's missiles, following its downing with an Iron Dome interceptor.

In addition to the firing of rockets at population centers, Hezbollah admitted it was aiming to hit the Refael defense firm facility in the Haifa area, as well as the Ramat David (Heights of David) Airforce base, some 30 miles from the Lebanese border. The Islamist organization said it had fired Fadi-1 and Fadi 2 rockets at the base, in retaliation for the civilians killed in Israeli strikes.

It was at this base, home to several air squadrons, as well as an Iron Dome air defense platform and ammunition, at which Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced last week the country's focus of attention was pivoting away from Gaza, to the north. However, senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy, and a former IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus poured scorn on Hezbollah's attempts to justify their indiscriminate missile fire, posting on X, "Many hits in Israel are miles away from alleged targets. Don't be fooled."

Israel did suffer some civilian casualties. A few people were wounded from falling shrapnel in the barrages shot at the north; and a young driver was killed when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving when an incoming rocket alert siren sounded. There was some property damage too in Kiryat Bialik, with one home taking a direct hit, although the residents were in a safe room and emerged unscathed. In a show of defiance, the property in question was later photographed with a large Israeli flag draped over the remains of the building.

Hezbollah was not alone in attacking Israel Sunday. An Iraqi pro-Iranian group admitted to firing two cruise missiles toward Israel, which, according to the IDF, the arrayed incoming missile defense system managed to bring down outside of Israeli territory.