- Hezbollah attacks Israel with rockets and drones after a top commander is killed.
- The conflict, influenced by the Gaza war, raises fears of full-scale war.
- Diplomatic efforts continue to prevent further escalation.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched a significant rocket and drone attack on Israel on Thursday, threatening further strikes in retaliation for the killing of a top commander. This marks a new escalation in the ongoing conflict across the border.
Triggered by the Gaza war, the conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel has been intensifying for months, raising fears of a full-scale war, which both sides and diplomats are keen to avoid.
The latest violence unfolded near the frontier, with sonic booms echoing through Beirut and other parts of Lebanon for the second consecutive day. Israeli jets broke the sound barrier over several areas of the country, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.
Hezbollah claimed it launched more than 200 rockets and a swarm of drones at ten Israeli military sites in response to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah commander Mohammed Nasser on Wednesday. Nasser is one of the highest-ranking Hezbollah commanders killed by Israel in this conflict.
The Israeli military reported identifying around “200 projectiles and over 20 suspicious aerial targets” crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory, many of which were intercepted by air defenses and fighter jets. No casualties were reported, although some drones and interceptor shrapnel caused fires.
In retaliation, the Israeli air force struck Hezbollah military structures in the villages of Ramyeh and Houla in southern Lebanon. Senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, speaking at an event in Beirut commemorating Nasser, hinted at broader targeting. “The series of responses continues in succession, and this series will continue to target new sites that the enemy did not imagine would be hit,” Safieddine stated.
The United States is leading diplomatic efforts to deescalate the fighting. Hezbollah has vowed not to cease fire as long as Israel continues its offensive in the Gaza Strip. The conflict has forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes on both sides of the border.
Amos Hochstein, a senior US official involved in the diplomacy, discussed efforts to restore calm with French officials on Wednesday. “France and the United States share the goal of resolving the current conflict across the Blue Line by diplomatic means, allowing Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return home with long-term assurances of safety and security,” a White House official said.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Wednesday that Israeli forces were hitting Hezbollah “very hard every day” and would take necessary actions against the group, though the preference is for a negotiated resolution.
Hezbollah also launched rockets at Israel on Wednesday in retaliation for Nasser’s killing. The group began targeting Israeli sites along the border with Lebanon after its ally Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, declaring support for the Palestinians.
According to Reuters, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed over 300 Hezbollah fighters and around 90 civilians. Fire from Lebanon has resulted in the deaths of 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians.
