In a significant escalation of violence, seven individuals were killed in northern Israel on Thursday following a series of rocket attacks attributed to Hezbollah from Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) characterized these strikes as the “deadliest cross-border” incidents since the conflict’s resurgence.
Among the fatalities, four were foreign workers, and three were Israeli citizens. The first of the attacks hit an agricultural area in Metula, Israel’s northernmost town, resulting in the deaths of four foreign workers and an Israeli farmer. Shortly thereafter, another wave of rocket fire—approximately 25 projectiles—targeted an olive grove in a suburb of Haifa, leading to the deaths of two additional people and injuries to two others.
In response to the deadly strikes, the IDF issued a statement on social media platform X, declaring, “Hezbollah rockets killed 7 innocent civilians inside Israel today. We will not let Hezbollah’s deadly attacks go unanswered.”
Simultaneously, the conflict in Lebanon saw 24 fatalities due to Israeli airstrikes that targeted Hezbollah positions, as reported by health officials in the region.
US Diplomats Seek Ceasefire
Amid rising tensions, US diplomats are actively working in the region to negotiate ceasefires in both Lebanon and Gaza. The efforts are crucial as the Biden administration seeks to manage escalating conflicts in the Middle East, especially with the upcoming US elections.
Israeli Airstrikes Target Hezbollah
On the following day, Israeli airstrikes struck the southern suburbs of Beirut for the first time in nearly a week, targeting weapons storage facilities and command centers associated with Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces and its munitions unit in Syria. The IDF stated that these units are instrumental in facilitating the transfer of weapons from Syria to Lebanon.
Gaza Conflict Escalation
In a separate but related conflict, Israeli forces launched strikes in northern Gaza, damaging one of the last operational hospitals in the area. The World Health Organization reported that Israeli strikes destroyed essential supplies delivered to the facility and ignited a fire affecting critical medical units. The strikes resulted in injuries to four medics who were on-site attempting to extinguish the flames. The Israeli military has not commented on the hospital strike.
Additionally, Israeli bulldozers caused significant damage to the office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Nur Shams camp in the West Bank, although the Israeli military has denied responsibility.
Tensions continue to mount as Israel enacts a law prohibiting UNRWA’s operations within its territory, citing alleged ties between some UNRWA staff and militant groups, further complicating the humanitarian situation in the region.
Sources By Agencies
