The Lebanese Hezbollah group announced that it had launched more than 200 rockets at several military bases in Israel, following a strike that resulted in the death of one of its senior commanders.
The attack on Thursday by the Iran-backed militant group was among the largest in the protracted conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border, where tensions have been escalating in recent weeks.
The Israeli military reported that “numerous projectiles and suspicious aerial targets” had entered its territory from Lebanon, many of which were intercepted. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
On Wednesday, Israel acknowledged the killing of Mohammad Naameh Nasser, who headed one of Hezbollah’s three regional divisions in southern Lebanon. In response, Hezbollah launched a barrage of Katyusha and Falaq rockets into northern Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
The group continued its attacks on Thursday, adding that it had also deployed explosive drones into several Israeli bases.
The United States and France are urgently working to prevent the skirmishes from escalating into a full-scale war, fearing a regional spillover. The conflict, which began shortly after the outbreak of war in Gaza, sees Hezbollah acting in solidarity with Hamas.
Hezbollah’s leadership has stated it will cease attacks once a Gaza ceasefire is achieved, stressing that while it does not seek war, it is prepared for one.
Israeli officials have indicated that they might consider going to war in Lebanon if diplomatic efforts fail.
Hezbollah’s recent actions came a day after a senior adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden, Amos Hochstein, met with French President Emmanuel Macron’s envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Paris.
The ongoing conflict has displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border. In northern Israel, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed. In Lebanon, more than 450 people, mostly fighters but also civilians, have lost their lives.
Israel views Hezbollah as a significant threat, estimating the group possesses an arsenal of 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided munitions. The last major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 ended in a stalemate.
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