Tel Aviv, Dec 26 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that the Iran-backed Hezbollah has fired missiles at a Greek Orthodox church in northern Israel that wounded a civilian and nine security personnel.

The IDF said the nine soldiers were injured when a second missile fired by the Hezbollah hit them while they were trying to remove the injured octogenarian from the site.

The IDF said that an anti-tank guided missile was fired from Lebanaon, adding that the Israeli force has targeted a Hezbollah site in Lebanon.

Israel is engaged in a bitter war with the Hamas in the Gaza Strip ever since the latter carried out a massacre in southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking 240 as hostages.

However, during a one-week ceasefire from November 24 to December 1, 105 of the hostages were released. Four of the hostages were released earlier and a woman soldier who was a hostage was rescued by the Israel army.

The IDF has announced that 22 of these hostages were dead and three hostages were killed by the IDF in an accidental firing.

Israel and the US had warned the Hezbollah that it would have to face serious consequences if a war front is opened in the northern front of Israel.