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On January 20, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said that it had carried out a wave of airstrikes against targets of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The targets hit by Israeli fighter jets included an observation post, a rocket launch position and other infrastructure belonging to the group near the town of Odaisseh, according to the IDF, which also said that its main battle tanks carried out shelling in the Shebaa Farms -claimed by Lebanon and occupied by Israel-, to “remove a threat” overnight.
Separately, an Israeli combat drone targeted a vehicle near the southern town of Bazourieh. Lebanese security sources told Reuters that two Palestinian fighters of the Hamas Movement were killed in the strike. Hezbollah also mourned a fighter, who was reportedly killed along with the Palestinians.
The last wave of Israeli strikes didn’t deter Hezbollah. During the day, the group attacked three gatherings of Israeli troops in Honen Castl, al-Dhahira military site and Zarait Barracks. Hebrew media didn’t report any casualties, although this may be due to the IDF censorship.
The attacks were carried out “to support the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance,” Hezbollah said in separate statements announcing the attacks.
The clashes on the Lebanese-Israeli border first broke out after the start of the war in Gaza, with Hezbollah and its allies carrying out attacks in support of the Strip.
Israel increased threats to Lebanon over the border clashes in recent weeks. According to a recent report by The Washington Post, Israel is eyeing an end-of-January timeframe for reaching a long-term diplomatic agreement with Lebanon, but will likely escalate fighting with Hezbollah if a deal is not secured.
A United States official told the publication that Israel has not put forward a “hard deadline,” but said that the window of opportunity for talks was narrowing.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat told The Washington Post that “the Israeli position is that we prefer a diplomatic solution, and if a diplomatic solution will not be possible, we will have to act on our own.”
In a recent call, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his American counterpart Lloyd Austin that Israel was nearing a decision on Lebanon.
Lebanese officials said earlier this week that Hezbollah had rebuffed Washington’s initial proposal for stopping clashes with Israel, including pulling its fighters further from the border, but remained open to U.S. diplomacy to avoid a ruinous war.
As of January 18, the border clashes have resulted in six civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of nine IDF soldiers. On the Lebanese side, more than 200 have been killed. The toll includes 152 Hezbollah fighters, 14 of whom were killed in Syria, 28 Palestinians, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 24 civilians.
