By Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched a coordinated attack on 19 Israeli positions along the border. The attack coincided with the eve of an eagerly anticipated speech by Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
The Iran-backed armed group claimed responsibility for the attack, employing “guided missiles, artillery shelling,” and various other weapons.
Israel swiftly responded with a decisive assault, involving warplanes and helicopters targeting Hezbollah positions. Additionally, artillery and tank fire were employed in retaliation to the earlier fire originating from Lebanese territory.
The situation intensified as a barrage of rockets wounded two individuals in Kiryat Shmona, an Israeli town near the Lebanese border.
Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, also got involved in the conflict. The armed wing of the Lebanese branch of Hamas fired a dozen rockets at the same town, citing the reason as a response to what they view as “massacres of our people in Gaza due to occupation.”
This latest incident is part of a series of tit-for-tat exchanges that have plagued the Israel-Lebanon border since the outset of the war. This conflict has resulted in the loss of more than 9,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza and over 1,400 casualties in Israel, primarily stemming from a Hamas attack on southern Israel in early October.
The region is now on edge as Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, is set to deliver a highly anticipated speech on Friday, marking his first public appearance since the outbreak of the war.
The people of Lebanon are anxiously awaiting this address, as it is expected to shed light on the prospects of further escalation. Many are holding off making any plans beyond Friday, as they believe Nasrallah’s words will determine the course of events.
Nasrallah’s speech will also garner significant international attention. He is a prominent figure in the “Axis of Resistance,” an informal alliance led by Iran aimed at countering the influence of the United States and Israel.
This alliance includes Shia Muslim Iraqi militias, which have been engaging with US forces in Syria and Iraq, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have joined the conflict by launching drones at Israel. The speech will coincide with rallies organized by Hezbollah to honor their fallen fighters.
Meanwhile, despite the growing tension, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu emphasized that Lebanon does not need a war with Israel, expressing concerns about the potential escalatory effects on the entire region.
The White House also voiced its concerns over Hezbollah’s attacks on Israeli forces but stated that there is no clear indication that Hezbollah is ready to go into full-scale warfare.
In other developments, Hezbollah claimed to have downed an Israeli drone using a surface-to-air missile, marking the second such claim in recent days. Lebanon’s army also retrieved the bodies of two shepherds killed by Israeli fire, bringing the total death toll in Lebanon to 66 since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war, according to AFP news agency.
This toll includes Hezbollah fighters and civilians, including a journalist. On the Israeli side, nine people have lost their lives, consisting of eight soldiers and one civilian, as reported by the army.
The situation remains tense as the region closely watches the unfolding events along the Israel-Lebanon border.
