Heaviest escalation between Hezbollah and Israel puts Lebanon on the brink of war
The United Nations warns that the region is nearing a "looming catastrophe" amidst rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel.
On Sunday, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged the heaviest fire since the start of their confrontations, triggered by the Gaza war. Israeli warplanes carried out intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on military targets in northern Israel.
The Israeli army reported hitting approximately 290 targets on Saturday, including thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers. The army added that it would continue targeting the Iran-backed group. Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced on its Telegram channel: “The Islamic resistance targeted the Ramat David base and airport with dozens of Fadi 1 and Fadi 2 rockets in response to repeated Israeli aggressions against various Lebanese areas.”
These rocket strikes on Ramat David are the deepest attacks claimed by Hezbollah since the hostilities began.
Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions also claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Israel early Sunday morning.
Hezbollah also stated that it had targeted Israeli military industrial complexes and a major airbase near Haifa, hours after the Israeli army launched intensive raids on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including thousands of rocket launchers.
Twelve Israelis were moderately injured by rocket fire from Lebanon towards northern Israel. The Israeli news site 0404 reported that a missile directly hit a house in Kiryat Bialik, south of Haifa, injuring four people, who were taken to the hospital.
Israeli Channel 14 reported direct hits on two buildings in Kiryat Bialik, noting that Hezbollah launched a heavy barrage of rockets on Sunday morning at northern settlements.
Earlier, the Israeli army announced that Hezbollah had fired about 85 rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel. Israel’s Home Front Command ordered all schools in the northern areas near the Lebanese border to close after Hezbollah fired rocket salvos early in the morning.
Israel’s Ministry of Health announced that hospitals in northern Israel had been instructed to move their operations to more protected facilities. Rambam Hospital in Haifa began transferring patients to its secure underground facility.
The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon warned on Sunday that the region was nearing a “looming catastrophe” and stressed that a military solution would not benefit any party.
UN Special Coordinator Janine Hennis-Plasschaert said on X: “As the region nears a looming catastrophe, it cannot be emphasized enough that there is no military solution that will provide security for any party.”
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expressed concern over the escalation between Israel and Lebanon but said that Israel’s killing of a senior Hezbollah leader punished the group, which Washington classifies as a terrorist organization.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati canceled a planned visit to New York for the UN General Assembly.
Israel and Hezbollah, backed by Iran, have been exchanging fire across the border for nearly 11 months following the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The escalation intensified this week with a series of explosions targeting Hezbollah communication devices, followed by an Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut, which targeted a meeting of the elite Radwan force leadership.
Israel said it had carried out “massive airstrikes” on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon using dozens of fighter jets.
The death toll from the Israeli airstrike on a Hezbollah military meeting in southern Beirut has risen to 45, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Rescue operations have been ongoing for the third consecutive day.
The ministry had previously reported the death of 37 people, including at least 16 mourned by the party, among whom were two prominent military commanders.
