Hezbollah said it launched a major drone and rocket attack targeting several Israeli military bases, amid growing fears of an all-out war between the Lebanese armed group and Israel.
It was the largest attack by the Iran-aligned group since violence between the two sides erupted on October 8, a Hezbollah source told Tel Aviv Tribune Arabic on Thursday.
The group said the attack in northern Israel was in retaliation for the assassination of top commander Taleb Abdullah – known as Abu Taleb – in an Israeli air raid in the village of Jouaiya, in southern Lebanon at the start of the week.
The source said the “complex attack” was also aimed at establishing a deterrent effect following Abdullah’s killing.
The Lebanese group used 150 rockets and 30 explosive drones to target 15 Israeli positions, including some in the occupied Golan Heights, the source said.
Israeli media reported that Hezbollah rockets injured at least two people and started 15 fires.
The Israeli military said in a post on X that “numerous” launches were intercepted and some started fires.
In an official statement, Hezbollah said the operation was “in support of the steadfast Palestinian people and their courageous and honorable resistance in Gaza and in the context of the response to the assassination that the Zionist enemy is committing in Jouaiyya.” .
One of the Israeli units targeted in the attack was responsible for planning assassinations, Hezbollah said.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah also fired a barrage of 200 rockets at Israel.
There have been near-constant reports of rocket sirens being activated in northern Israel since Abdullah was killed along with three other fighters on Tuesday evening.
Hezbollah does not reveal details of its military structure or ranks, but Abdallah was only the second slain fighter from the group to be hailed as a “commander” in recent months – after Wissam al-Tawil, who was killed in an Israeli attack in 2017. January.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad paid tribute to Abdullah on Wednesday, praising his efforts to confront Israel.
Hezbollah began attacking military bases in northern Israel after the outbreak of the war on Gaza, in what it describes as a “support front” to support Palestinian armed groups.
Israel responded by bombing villages in southern Lebanon and targeting Hezbollah positions. Despite almost daily exchanges of fire, the clashes were largely limited to the border area.
Tens of thousands of people in southern Lebanon and northern Israel have fled their homes to escape the violence.
Late last month, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah described Lebanon’s front with Israel as historically decisive.
“This battle is about Palestine, but also about the future of Lebanon and its water and oil resources,” Nasrallah said. “This front is a supporting front that is part of the battle that will strategically determine the fate of Palestine, Lebanon and the region. »
Helped by Iran, the Lebanese organization has strengthened in recent years. Hezbollah waged a years-long war against Israel, which resulted in the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of southern Lebanon occupied for nearly two decades.
In 2006, Israel launched a major offensive to disarm Hezbollah after the group carried out a deadly cross-border attack on Israeli forces. The conflict ended with no major change to the status quo. But Hezbollah has since grown both its rocket arsenal and its regional influence.
Earlier this month, Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem told Tel Aviv Tribune that the group was “ready” for war if Israel escalates its attacks.
“Any Israeli expansion of the war against Lebanon will bring devastation, destruction and displacement to Israel,” he said. “If Israel wants to wage all-out war, we are ready for it. »
Israeli officials have pledged to keep Hezbollah fighters away from the country’s borders, including by force if necessary.
“Israel will respond with force to all Hezbollah attacks,” Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said Thursday. “Whether through diplomatic efforts or otherwise, Israel will restore security to our northern border. »
A war with Hezbollah, which has demonstrated sophisticated military capabilities including the use of guided rockets and precision drones, could prove more costly for Israel than continuing the conflict in Gaza.
Reporting from Beirut, Tel Aviv Tribune’s Zeina Khodr said Hezbollah had intensified its attacks not only in response to the killing of its commander, but also to strengthen Hamas’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks. -fire and to warn Israel against launching a major offensive in Lebanon.
“So this is also a matter of deterrence on the part of Hezbollah,” Khodr said.
“There is no doubt that this is a dangerous escalation of this ongoing conflict,” referring to Israel’s promise to respond to the latest attacks.