Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah have traded heavy fire overnight, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The Israeli military carried out the heaviest bombardment since the start of cross-border clashes almost a year ago, while Hezbollah responded by launching its deepest rocket attacks into Israel since the beginning of Gaza war, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Israel Attacks
On Friday, an Israeli airstrike targeted an eight-story building in Beirut’s southern suburb hosting a meeting for Hezbollah members. The attack killed Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force commander, Ibrahim Akil, as well as Ahmed Wahbi, another senior commander in the group’s military wing.
The attack claimed the lives of 37 people, including 7 women and 3 children, and injured another 68, according to Lebanon’s Health Minister, Firass Abiad. It was the deadliest strike in decades, since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Furthermore, a wave of explosions hit pager and walkie-talkie devices used by Hezbollah members on Tuesday and Wednesday, killing at least 37 people, including children, and injuring 3,000 others. Although it has not confirmed or denied responsibility, the attacks were widely blamed on Israel, with Hezbollah vowing revenge.
Hezbollah’s Retaliation
In response to Israel’s attacks, Hezbollah fired a barrage of missiles deep inside Israel early Sunday, targeting a military base in Haifa. In a Telegram post, the Lebanese group said it had fired “dozens of Fadi 1 and Fadi 2 missiles” at the Ramat David airbase, southeast of Haifa, “in response to the repeated Israeli attacks that targeted various Lebanese regions and led to the fall of many civilian martyrs.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that Hezbollah’s rockets had targeted “civilian areas.” It confirmed that around 90 rockets had been fired at northern Israel on Saturday. Moreover, the Israeli military said it had targeted more than 400 rocket launchers in Lebanon during the same day.
Israel Braces for Escalation
After killing Hezbollah’s senior commanders on Friday, Israel expected a surge in the militant group’s attacks. Therefore, the Israeli government set new caps on the size of gatherings and other restrictions in the northern regions, near the border with Lebanon.
Israel on Saturday closed its northern airspace, expecting retaliation from Hezbollah. After announcing updated safety guidelines for north of Haifa, at least two border regions cancelled Sunday classes.
Ongoing Tensions
The cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been ongoing since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. The Lebanese group opened a second front against Israel, saying it will keep fighting until Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Over the past week, tensions have sharply escalated. Iran-backed Iraqi militias have claimed they launched an explosive drone attack on Israel early Sunday, reported Reuters.
Warning of the ongoing escalation, the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasscharet, wrote on X that “with the region on the brink of an imminent catastrophe, it cannot be overstated enough: there is NO military solution that will make either side safer.”
After past week escalation, the toll of the Hezbollah-Israel conflict has exceeded 740 in Lebanon. Moreover, tens of thousands of people have left their homes on both sides of the border since the start of the conflict.
Global Fears
Amid fears of a wider conflict that could drag the region to a full-blown war, many airlines have cancelled their flights to Beirut, including Air France, Turkish Airlines and Aegean, according to the Guardian.
Furthermore, the US State Department urged American citizens to leave Lebanon. In an updated advisory on Saturday, it said: “Due to the unpredictable nature of ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and recent explosions throughout Lebanon, including Beirut, the US embassy urges US citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available.”