Israel hits over 300 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

JERUSALEM,— Israel launched a significant offensive against Hezbollah on Monday, targeting hundreds of the group’s positions across Lebanon in a series of airstrikes that left over 100 dead, according to Lebanese health authorities. This escalation marks the deadliest day Lebanon has seen in nearly a year, as conflict between Hezbollah and Israel continues to intensify.

In response to one of the heaviest exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border in recent months, Israeli forces warned civilians to evacuate areas where Hezbollah is believed to be stockpiling weapons. The campaign is part of a broader Israeli strategy to curb the activities of the Iran-backed militia, which has been firing rockets into northern Israel in solidarity with its ally, Hamas, during the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in a video statement, made clear that operations against Hezbollah would continue until residents in Israel’s northern regions could safely return to their homes. “The actions will continue until we achieve our goal to return the northern residents safely to their homes,” Gallant said, signaling that the military offensive was far from over. His statement underscores Israel’s determination to weaken Hezbollah’s influence in the region, a goal that could prolong the conflict as the militant group has vowed to fight on until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

“This is a period where the Israeli public must show resilience and composure,” Gallant added, as airstrikes continued to hit Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and areas close to the Syrian border.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that Monday’s strikes claimed the lives of at least 100 people, including women, children, and healthcare workers, and left more than 400 injured. The Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that over 300 Hezbollah targets had been struck, reinforcing Israel’s focus on dismantling Hezbollah’s operational capabilities. Earlier warnings from the Israeli military advised Lebanese civilians to evacuate homes suspected of harboring Hezbollah’s weapon caches.

Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks aimed at Israeli military installations, further stoking fears of an all-out war. Israeli airstrikes, however, are expected to continue as the military gears up for more operations, particularly targeting Hezbollah’s arsenal of strategic weapons hidden in the Bekaa Valley. The Israeli military called for civilians in these areas to flee immediately, signaling the high risk of further destruction.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, speaking in a televised address, accused Hezbollah of using civilian homes to store weapons, which resulted in secondary explosions during the strikes. “In every house we are targeting, there are weapons—rockets, missiles, and drones aimed at killing Israeli civilians,” Hagari said, laying the blame for the rising civilian toll squarely on Hezbollah’s strategy of embedding military assets within residential areas. His remarks reflect Israel’s stance that Hezbollah not only threatens Israeli civilians but also endangers its own population by using them as human shields.

This surge in violence has put additional pressure on Hezbollah, which was already reeling from a recent attack involving the destruction of thousands of communication devices—an incident widely attributed to Israel, although Israel has not confirmed its involvement. The attack, labeled “unprecedented” by Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, significantly disrupted the group’s internal communications and was a major blow to its operational capabilities.

Adding to Hezbollah’s challenges, an Israeli airstrike last week on Beirut’s southern suburb claimed the lives of 45 people, including senior Hezbollah commanders, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Among the dead were senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and another prominent commander, Ahmed Wahbi. These strikes have rattled the group’s leadership and crippled its command structure at a critical juncture.

Meanwhile, Israeli civilians in the north continue to face threats from Hezbollah’s rocket barrages. On Monday, one person sustained minor injuries from shrapnel following a Hezbollah attack, according to Israeli emergency services. The ongoing exchange of fire has only heightened the tension and made the prospect of peace seem even more distant.

Lebanese telecoms provider Ogero reported that more than 80,000 automated evacuation calls had been detected across the network, many of which went unanswered. Imad Kreidieh, Ogero’s head, dismissed the calls as part of Israel’s “psychological warfare” campaign designed to sow fear and chaos among the Lebanese population. The calls have reportedly been received as far away as Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.

Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary echoed this sentiment, stating that his ministry had also received an evacuation notice but would not comply, labeling it a tactic of psychological intimidation. “This is psychological war,” he said, emphasizing the resolve of Lebanese authorities to stand firm.

The heightened strikes have left Lebanese citizens fearing an escalation into a full-blown war. Joseph Ghafary, a government employee in Beirut, expressed his anxiety, predicting that any major Hezbollah retaliation would provoke a devastating response from Israel. “If Hezbollah launches a significant attack, Israel will retaliate with even greater force. We can’t endure that,” Ghafary said, reflecting the growing fear among Lebanese civilians.

As Hezbollah and Israel continue their tit-for-tat exchanges, many in Lebanon see the escalation as the precursor to an all-out war.
“If they’re set on war, what choice do we have? It’s been forced upon us,” said Mohammed Sibai, a shop owner in Beirut, resigned to the grim reality that Lebanon may once again become a battlefield in the region’s long-standing conflicts.

With both sides showing no signs of backing down, the Israeli military remains prepared for whatever comes next. When asked about the possibility of a ground incursion into Lebanon, Hagari replied, “We will do whatever is needed” to ensure the safety of Israeli civilians—a statement that suggests Israel is willing to escalate its operations further if necessary.

(With files from Reuters)