Kiriyat Shmona, Israel – Tensions escalated between Israel and Lebanon as Hezbollah launched a series of rocket attacks into northern Israel in response to Israeli airstrikes on a Lebanese village. The exchange of fire resulted in casualties on both sides, with at least one person killed in Israel and seven in Lebanon as a result of the overnight strike on Habbariyeh. The violence marks one of the deadliest incidents in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
In a retaliatory move, Hezbollah targeted the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, firing dozens of rockets and hitting an industrial site, causing significant damage. The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed the death of a factory worker due to the attack. This latest escalation comes amidst a pattern of near-daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, stemming from the Israel-Gaza conflict initiated by a Hamas attack on Israel in October.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite Muslim militant group with strong ties to Iran, has been a longstanding ally of Hamas. The group has accused Israel of targeting “rescuers” in the strikes, while Israeli officials claim they eliminated a significant terrorist operative belonging to Jamaa Islamiya, a Sunni Muslim group with links to Hamas, in their attack on Habbariyeh.
The conflict has taken a heavy toll on both Lebanon and Israel, with hundreds of casualties reported since the violence began. The Lebanese Ambulance Association condemned the strike on the village as a violation of humanitarian work, highlighting the challenges faced by aid organizations in the volatile region. Amidst the continued violence, the United Nations has expressed concerns over the rising civilian casualties on both sides of the conflict.
As tensions remain high and violence continues to escalate, the international community is closely monitoring the situation, calling for a de-escalation of hostilities and a return to diplomatic negotiations to avoid further bloodshed in the region. Both Israel and Lebanon have reiterated their commitment to defending their territories, raising fears of further violence in the days to come.