Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group have once again engaged in cross-border hostilities following a deadly strike in southern Lebanon. The latest exchange of fire underscores the ongoing tensions in the region, fueled by recent escalations and the aftermath of the Gaza conflict.
According to reports from Lebanese state media and local officials, an Israeli strike on Sunday targeted a southern village, resulting in the deaths of several family members. The strike, believed to have been carried out by Israeli aircraft, claimed the lives of four individuals from a single family, including a man, a woman, and their children aged 12 and 21. Two others were also wounded in the attack.
The strike in Mais al-Jabal prompted swift retaliation from Hezbollah fighters, who announced the firing of “dozens of Katyusha and Falaq rockets” towards Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel. This response was described as a reaction to the “horrific crime” committed by the Israeli forces in Mais al-Jabal, as stated in Hezbollah’s official statement.
In the ensuing exchange, Hezbollah launched additional rockets at Israeli troops and vehicles along the border. The Israeli army confirmed the firing of around 40 rockets from Lebanon, some of which were intercepted, with no immediate reports of casualties.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has seen increased intensity in recent weeks, with Israel conducting strikes deeper into Lebanese territory, while Hezbollah has escalated its missile and drone attacks on Israeli military positions in the north.
The international community, including the United States and France, has made diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border. However, Hezbollah has maintained that only a ceasefire in Gaza will halt its attacks on Israel, which it claims are in solidarity with Gazans and Hamas, its ally.
The violence has taken a heavy toll on both sides, with Lebanon reporting at least 390 deaths, mostly militants but also including over 70 civilians, in nearly seven months of cross-border clashes. On the Israeli side, 11 soldiers and nine civilians have been killed, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced in the conflict.
Sources By Agencies
