Israel conducted extensive airstrikes on several towns in southern Lebanon on Thursday, amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah. The situation follows two waves of explosions targeting wireless devices in Lebanon, resulting in 37 fatalities and thousands injured.
Reports confirm that over 50 airstrikes hit southern Lebanese towns. The Lebanese National News Agency stated that Israeli warplanes targeted areas including Mahmoudiyeh near Aaichiyeh village and Kasarat al-Aroosh in the Jezzine region. Additionally, Israeli aircraft launched missiles toward the Birket Jabbour area.
In a separate strike on the town of Hanniyeh in the Tyre district, four individuals—three Palestinians and one Lebanese citizen—were reported injured.
In response, Hezbollah announced that it targeted the Israeli military site of Metula in northern Israel with Falaq rockets, causing fires and significant damage according to the local mayor. The group also attacked the command headquarters of the Shomera Battalion with Katyusha rockets.
The Israeli army claimed it struck 30 Hezbollah launchers that were poised to fire 150 rockets toward Israel. Tensions have surged following Wednesday’s explosions, which affected wireless devices across Lebanon, resulting in 25 deaths and 450 injuries, following similar blasts on Tuesday that killed 12 and injured approximately 2,800.
Both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the pager explosions and issued threats of “severe consequences.” Israel has not commented on these incidents, which come amid heightened cross-border conflict since the onset of its military operations in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 41,300 people, predominantly women and children, have been killed following a Hamas attack on October 7.
