Israel intensified its military campaign against Hezbollah, launching dozens of air strikes on strongholds in southern Lebanon. This follows Monday’s massive bombardment, which killed 492 people—including 35 children—marking the deadliest attack since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. The ongoing hostilities stem from Hezbollah’s involvement in the conflict, triggered after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Hezbollah retaliated by firing volleys of missiles into northern Israel, including an unmanned aerial vehicle and over 180 projectiles. Israeli air defenses intercepted most of the attacks, but the cross-border violence continues to escalate.
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Israel’s military operation, dubbed “Operation Northern Arrows,” has shifted its focus from Gaza to Lebanon, targeting around 1,600 suspected Hezbollah sites. Hezbollah, a powerful Iranian-backed militant group, has engaged in near-daily exchanges with Israeli forces. Monday’s airstrikes in Lebanon were the largest since the 2006 conflict between the two sides, which killed 1,200 people in Lebanon and 160 Israelis.
The escalation has drawn international concern, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the European Union, and other world leaders urging de-escalation to prevent a full-scale regional war. US officials have also expressed opposition to an Israeli ground invasion targeting Hezbollah, signaling that diplomatic solutions are being pursued. Despite the growing alarm, Israeli military leaders have emphasized the devastating impact of their strikes, calling this the "most difficult week for Hezbollah since its establishment."
