The Israel Hezbollah Conflict has been escalating in recent weeks, with both sides exchanging rocket fire and airstrikes, causing concern among regional and international leaders. Israel and Hezbollah are trading intense fire, marking a serious rise in tensions. Israel said it launched big strikes in southern Lebanon to stop Hezbollah from attacking with rockets and drones. On Sunday morning, Israeli jets destroyed many rocket launchers belonging to Hezbollah, an armed group backed by Iran. Hezbollah, along with its allies, said three of their fighters were killed.
Despite the strikes, Hezbollah said it still managed to fire 320 rockets and drones at Israel as payback for the killing of a top commander. Israel’s military confirmed that an Israeli navy soldier was killed in the conflict.
After ten months of fighting, the U.S. is seeking to prevent further escalation for fear that it might be turning into a full- scale war. Since fighting broke out in October and the war between Hamas Israel began, there have been almost daily encounters on the Israeli-Lebanese border. The most recent negotiations in Cairo sponsored by the United States for peace in Gaza didn’t get anywhere. At the talks Hamas left the table, charging that Israel had broken its word. For its own part Israel denied that it had changed any of the terms.
Hezbollah says it’s standing with the Palestinian group Hamas, which is also supported by Iran. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are labeled as terrorist groups by Israel, the UK, and other countries. Since October, Lebanon’s health ministry reported that more than 560 people have died, mostly Hezbollah fighters. In Israel, 26 civilians and 23 soldiers have been killed. The UN also said almost 200,000 people on both sides have been forced to leave their homes.
Israel’s strike on Hezbollah around 04:30 on Sunday was its biggest since the 2006 war. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said about 100 fighter jets hit and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah’s rocket launchers in southern Lebanon. The strikes were done after Israel found out Hezbollah was planning a big aerial attack, according to IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Lebanon’s state news agency reported that Israeli planes hit several areas, including Beaufort Castle and nearby towns. A resident from Zibqeen described the situation as feeling like “the apocalypse.”
Something else happened that was very sad. A drone struck a car in a place called Khiam and one person died. Also, two people died in a village called Tiri. A group called Hezbollah said that two of their fighters were killed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the recent attacks are not the end and warned Hezbollah’s leaders in Beirut and Iran’s leaders in Tehran that Israel is taking steps to change the situation in the north. He also mentioned that the IDF had intercepted all the drones Hezbollah launched at a strategic target in Israel.
After Israel’s strikes, Hezbollah said it hit 11 Israeli military targets with over 320 rockets. This was in response to the killing of their senior commander Fuad Shukr by Israel in Beirut on July 30. Hezbollah claimed their mission was complete and dismissed Israel’s claims that its strikes on Sunday stopped a larger attack.
Footage showed explosions in the sky as Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted incoming rockets. Later, the IDF said an Israeli Navy soldier was killed in northern Israel, possibly due to a Hezbollah drone.
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said in a speech that the group attacked a military base deep in Israeli territory and managed to launch all their drones into Israeli airspace. He warned that Hezbollah would respond again if the outcome was unsatisfactory.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who has limited control over Hezbollah, said he’s trying to get international help to stop the fighting. He called for an end to Israel’s attacks and the enforcement of a UN resolution that ended the 2006 war. Mikati also showed support for global efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire and a deal for releasing hostages between Israel and Hamas.
The White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, expressed hope that this latest fighting wouldn’t escalate into a regional war. The U.S. believes that an agreement between Israel and Hamas is key to reducing tensions, as Hezbollah has said it will stop its attacks only when the Gaza conflict ends.
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