Israel Strikes South Lebanon as Hezbollah Escalates Attacks

Israel’s military confirmed that its jets targeted approximately 100 Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon during two waves of intense airstrikes overnight. The strikes hit about 100 launchers and additional Hezbollah infrastructure, including around 1,000 barrels that were reportedly set for immediate firing, according to the Israeli army.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the southern region was hit at least 52 times during the night, marking one of the most significant bombardments by Israel since the border skirmishes began last October.

In response, Hezbollah launched at least 17 attacks on Israeli military sites in northern Israel on Thursday.

These developments, including the deadly explosions in Lebanon earlier in the week and Thursday’s heavy bombardments, came after Israel declared a shift in its war objectives, focusing on its northern border with Lebanon, where clashes with Hezbollah have intensified.

For nearly a year, Israel’s military efforts had been concentrated on the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. However, it has also been engaged in frequent exchanges of fire with Hezbollah along the northern border.

International mediators have been working to prevent a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah and to contain the regional impact of the conflict in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.

Hezbollah maintains that its attacks are in support of Hamas, and its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, pledged on Thursday that these attacks will persist as long as the war in Gaza continues.

The cross-border exchanges have claimed hundreds of lives in Lebanon, most of them fighters, and dozens in Israel, including soldiers. The ongoing violence has also forced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

During a visit to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hezbollah “will pay an increasing price” as Israel seeks to secure the safe return of its citizens to the border areas. “We are at the start of a new phase in the war,” he said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also warned Israel of a “crushing response from the resistance front” following the recent blasts, which injured Tehran’s ambassador in Beirut.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been working to facilitate a ceasefire in Gaza and negotiate the release of hostages, called for restraint from all sides, emphasizing the importance of avoiding actions that could escalate the situation. He joined European foreign ministers in Paris to discuss the ongoing crisis.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that President Joe Biden believes a diplomatic resolution between Israel and Hezbollah is still possible.