Beirut: Hezbollah announced it had launched rockets and weaponized drones targeting nine Israeli military sites in a coordinated assault on Thursday, intensifying conflict along Lebanon’s southern border for the second consecutive day.
The strikes were in retaliation for an Israeli operation on Tuesday that resulted in the death of a senior Hezbollah field commander. A security source confirmed this was Hezbollah’s most extensive attack since October, coinciding with the Gaza conflict.
In a statement, Hezbollah disclosed it had fired salvos of Katyusha and Falaq rockets at six Israeli military positions. Al-Manar TV reported over 100 rockets simultaneously launched.
The group also reported deploying attack drones towards Israel’s northern command headquarters, an intelligence facility, and a military barracks. According to a security source cited by Reuters, this involved the simultaneous launch of at least 30 drones, marking Hezbollah’s largest drone attack in the ongoing eight-month conflict.
Tensions between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel have escalated since the Gaza conflict erupted, with near-daily skirmishes. However, the past two days have witnessed a significant spike following the Israeli strike that killed the Hezbollah commander.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for at least eight retaliatory attacks. Air raid sirens echoed across northern Israeli cities on Thursday, with Israeli officials confirming approximately 40 rockets fired from Lebanon in the afternoon.
Israel’s state broadcaster, Kan, aired footage showing multiple rockets intercepted mid-air above towns like Safed, approximately 12 km (7.5 miles) from the border. Two individuals sustained injuries from shrapnel, according to Israel’s national ambulance service.
Since the conflict began, Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed over 300 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, surpassing losses from the 2006 war, according to Reuters. Civilian casualties are estimated at around 80. In return, attacks from Lebanon have claimed the lives of 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians, as reported by Israel.
The ongoing hostilities have also displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border.
“Diplomatically or militarily, peace will be restored to our northern region. Israel will defend itself unequivocally. There should be no doubt about this whatsoever. This cannot be the norm,” stated Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations, convening in Italy, expressed deep concern over the situation along the Israel-Lebanon border in a draft communique.
