Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ramped up strikes against Lebanon on September 28, following the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.
In a statement, the military said that it struck overnight several Hezbollah rocket and missile manufacturing sites at the eastern Beqaa Valley, as part of efforts to prevent the group from arming itself.
Iran would smuggle Hezbollah weapons and components over Lebanon’s eastern border. The shipments would head to the manufacturing sites, where Hezbollah would build various weapons, including precision missiles, according to the statement.
The IDF said in an earlier statement that a total of 140 strikes hit targets of Hezbollah across Lebanon since the start of the day.
The targets included rocket launchers and buildings where the group stored munitions, including anti-ship missiles in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
In another statement, the IDF announced that it struck buildings where Hezbollah stored weapons and other infrastructure of the group.
From its side, Hezbollah fired several barrages of rockets at the settlements of Katzrin, Maalot, Metsova, Rosh Pina, Sa’ar and Kabri as well as at Ramat David Air Base in northern Israel. Some of the rockets were intercepted. Still, multiple hits were reported by Hebrew media.
The confrontation between Israel and Lebanon broke out after the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip last October, with Hezbollah and its allies launching near-daily attacks against the IDF in support of the Hamas Movement and other armed factions in Palestinian enclave.
The IDF escalated its strikes against Lebanon earlier this week to a level not seen since the war of 2006. In response, Hezbollah expanded its attacks deep into northern Israel.
The recent assassination of Nasrallah shows that Israel is serious about going to war against Lebanon. More escalation is to be expected.
All in all, the confrontation has so far resulted in 26 civilian deaths in Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights as well as the deaths of at least 22 soldiers and security officers. On the Lebanese side, at least 1,640 people have been killed, including more than 500 members of Hezbollah.
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