Israeli Airstrikes Pound Eastern Lebanon Overnight

On Tuesday, Israeli forces launched airstrikes on eastern Lebanon, as reported by Lebanon’s state media. This came amid ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli soldiers, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow to take aggressive action against the group.

Netanyahu’s statement on Monday followed a Hezbollah drone attack on an Israeli base, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and injuries to 60 others. He declared, “We will continue to strike Hezbollah mercilessly across Lebanon, including in Beirut,” during a visit to a military base near Binyamina, south of Haifa.

Hezbollah announced that its fighters engaged Israeli troops attempting to infiltrate near the village of Rab Tlatin. The group also launched missiles at Israeli soldiers and rockets into northern Israel, where sirens were triggered in response.

In retaliation, Israel’s military claimed to have killed dozens of Hezbollah fighters in close-quarters combat over the past day. The war, which intensified after Israel expanded its operations in Lebanon last month, has led to the deaths of at least 1,315 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, though the actual toll may be higher.

Early Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes targeted the eastern Bekaa Valley, which knocked a hospital in Baalbek out of service, as reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed concerns about attacks on ambulances and health facilities, calling them “deeply troubling.”

Israeli strikes have also hit Hezbollah-controlled regions and other areas in Lebanon, including a predominantly Christian village in the north where at least 21 people were killed on Monday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Rescue operations have become increasingly challenging, with civil defense chief Anis Abla in Marjayoun stating that “rescue missions are becoming more difficult” due to the ongoing strikes targeting even the rescue workers.

Israel has stated its intention to push Hezbollah back to secure its northern border, allowing residents displaced by rocket attacks to return safely.

In the northern Israeli village of Kfar Kara, Yousef, a restaurant manager, expressed concerns after Hezbollah’s recent attack on a nearby military base. “Now they know where that base is, what if next time they fire and miss by a little?” he said.

Hezbollah stated that its rocket attack on Tel Aviv’s suburbs was a response to Israeli strikes, including one in Beirut last week that killed 22 people. Hezbollah has also said its actions are in solidarity with Hamas, following the group’s October 7 assault on Israel, which sparked the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The war in Lebanon has displaced approximately 690,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration. Meanwhile, Israel faces growing criticism over injuries sustained by UN peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon, with the U.N. Security Council expressing concern on Monday.

Despite Netanyahu’s request for UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) to withdraw, U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix confirmed that the peacekeepers will remain in place.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II also cautioned that the situation could escalate into a “regional war that will be costly for all,” during a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Meanwhile, Israel is still weighing its response to an October 1 missile attack by Iran, which was launched in retaliation for Israeli operations that killed Tehran-aligned militant leaders. Reports from U.S. officials indicate that Israel is planning a counterattack targeting Iranian military sites, but avoiding nuclear and oil facilities.