Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes on southern Lebanon, targeting over 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other sites described as “terrorist infrastructure,” including a weapons storage facility.
The Israel Defense Forces said the rocket launchers were primed for attacks on Israeli territory, though details on casualties were not immediately available.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israel conducted at least 52 airstrikes on Thursday evening, while Lebanon retaliated with strikes on military positions in northern Israel.
The Israeli air raids, which lasted for over two hours, are considered among the most intense since the recent escalation in the region.
By Friday morning, Israel had lifted movement restrictions in the Golan Heights and parts of northern Israel, which had been imposed as a security measure during the airstrikes.
Earlier in the week, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah accused Israel of crossing “all red lines” in response to deadly explosions that Lebanese authorities said killed 37 people and wounded 3,000. Israel has not confirmed responsibility for the attacks, but its Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, has stated that the country is entering a “new phase of the war,” focusing more efforts on the northern front.
Cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah intensified on October 8, 2023, the day after Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel from Gaza. Hezbollah has since been launching attacks in support of Hamas, leading to heavy casualties, primarily among Hezbollah fighters, and the displacement of tens of thousands on both sides of the border.
In a televised address on Thursday, Nasrallah condemned Israel’s recent actions, describing them as war crimes. However, while Nasrallah’s rhetoric remained defiant, he suggested that Hezbollah is not seeking further escalation, unless a ceasefire is established in Gaza.
