In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, the Israeli military announced it conducted extensive airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting and destroying 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers. This operation was part of a broader military action that also included strikes on additional terrorist infrastructure, which according to the IDF, consisted of approximately 1,000 rocket launcher barrels primed for imminent attacks against Israeli territory.The strikes come in the wake of a series of deadly explosions involving pagers and walkie-talkies, which Hezbollah has blamed on Israel, though Israel has not officially confirmed its involvement in these incidents. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, condemned these attacks as crossing “all the red lines,” hinting at a potential retaliation from what he terms the “axis of resistance.”This military response marks what Israeli officials describe as a “new phase of the war,” shifting focus towards the northern front with Lebanon, particularly following the aftermath of the device explosions which reportedly caused significant casualties and injuries within Hezbollah ranks and Lebanese civilians.The IDF’s actions were not without losses on their side; two Israeli soldiers were killed by Hezbollah’s attacks, one by a drone and another by an anti-tank missile, signaling the cross-border skirmishes’ intensity.Globally, reactions have been mixed, with concerns over the possibility of a broader conflict. The U.S. has stated that President Biden is closely monitoring the situation, reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself, while also emphasizing the need for de-escalation.This series of events underscores the volatile situation along the Israel-Lebanon border, where both sides have been engaged in tit-for-tat attacks, displacing thousands and raising fears of a wider war.
Israel Strikes 100 Hezbollah Rocket Launchers in Lebanon Amid Escalating Tensions
