Israel has conducted significant air strikes on southern Lebanon, claiming its warplanes targeted over 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other “terrorist sites,” including a weapons storage facility. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that these launchers were poised to fire against Israel, though it remains unclear if there were any casualties from the strikes.
Intense Air Strikes Last Over Two Hours
According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, Israel carried out at least 52 air strikes on Thursday evening, making them some of the most intense since the recent conflict escalated. Hezbollah responded by launching strikes on military sites in northern Israel. The Israeli air strikes lasted for more than two hours, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing cross-border conflict.
READ MORE: Taiwan Rejects Claims Of Manufacturing Components In Hezbollah’s Explosive Pagers
Hezbollah Accuses Israel of Declaration of War
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah addressed the deadly explosions from earlier in the week, which resulted in numerous casualties across Lebanon. “The explosions crossed all red lines,” Nasrallah said, accusing Israel of what he described as a declaration of war.
Though Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the simultaneous explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, the attacks have led to 37 deaths and 3,000 injuries, according to Lebanese authorities. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has declared a “new phase of the war,” with increased military focus on northern Lebanon.
Movement Restrictions Lifted in Northern Israel
In response to the conflict, Israel had issued movement restrictions for communities in the Golan Heights and northern Israel on Thursday, but these restrictions were lifted by Friday morning. However, the IDF stated that military activities would continue in training areas in northern Israel over the weekend, with potential gunshots and explosions expected to be heard in nearby settlements.
Medical Centers in Lebanon Overwhelmed by Casualties
The explosions across Lebanon earlier this week sent a surge of patients to hospitals, many suffering severe injuries. Chief nursing officer Hisham Bawadi from a Beirut medical center described the overwhelming influx as a “tsunami of patients.”
“Most of the injuries were facial, with mainly the eyes, the face affected, the upper extremities, and some injuries on the abdomen,” Bawadi explained. Hospitals are planning surgeries over the weekend to handle the large number of casualties.
IDF Strikes 100 Hezbollah Rocket Launchers
In a statement on Thursday, the IDF confirmed its warplanes had struck approximately 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other terrorist infrastructure sites, including 1,000 barrels ready to be fired toward Israel. The IDF pledged to continue its operations to “degrade the Hezbollah terrorist organization’s infrastructure and capabilities in order to defend the state of Israel.”
Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters and the New York Times confirmed that these strikes were among the most intense since the war in Gaza began in October last year.
Cross-Border Conflict Intensifies
Cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated after Hezbollah launched anti-tank missiles and drones across the Israeli border from southern Lebanon on Thursday. The IDF reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed, and a third was seriously wounded in these attacks.
The ongoing fighting traces back to October 8, 2023, the day after Hamas gunmen launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from Gaza. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, fired at Israeli positions in solidarity with the Palestinians, further intensifying the conflict. Since then, hundreds, mostly Hezbollah fighters, have been killed, and tens of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border.
Manufacturers Deny Responsibility for Exploding Devices
Earlier this week, Hezbollah-linked devices like pagers and walkie-talkies exploded across Lebanon, causing widespread injuries. Media reports initially pointed to firms in Taiwan and Hungary as potential manufacturers of the devices. However, both firms denied responsibility.
“The components are low-end IC (integrated circuits) and batteries. I can say with certainty they were not made in Taiwan,” stated Taiwan’s Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei. Similarly, Bulgaria’s state security agency, DANS, confirmed that none of the pagers were imported to, exported from, or made in Bulgaria, after local media suggested a Bulgarian company had facilitated the sale.
Hezbollah’s Support for Hamas and Conflict with Israel
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group supported by Iran, has claimed its recent actions were in solidarity with the Palestinian armed group Hamas. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are designated as terrorist organizations by Israel, the UK, and other countries. As the conflict intensifies, Hezbollah has vowed retaliation for what it calls “criminal aggression” by Israel, further escalating tensions in the region.
The IDF has urged northern Israeli residents to avoid large gatherings, stay close to bomb shelters, and remain on high alert amid the ongoing hostilities.
(Includes inputs from online sources.)
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