Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, September 18, 2024. REUTERS
Israeli jets and artillery hit multiple targets in southern Lebanon overnight, Israel's military said on Thursday, amid spiralling tensions following the mass attack on Hezbollah communications devices this week.
The military said air strikes hit Hezbollah targets in Chihine, Tayibe, Blida, Meiss El Jabal, Aitaroun and Kfarkela in southern Lebanon, as well as a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in the area of Khiam.
Israeli media reported that a number of Israeli civilians had been wounded by anti-tank missile fire from Lebanon but there was no official confirmation.
The latest Israeli strikes follow a period of sharply spiralling concern over an escalation of the conflict on the border with southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been exchanging fire with Iranian-backed Hezbollah for months.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired around 20 projectiles into Israel, most of which were intercepted by air defence systems without causing any injuries, the military said.
Around 10 missiles were fired at the Mount Hermon area of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, where Israel has key surveillance, espionage and air defence installations.
This week dozens of people were killed and thousands wounded by a sophisticated attack targeting communications devices used by operatives of Hezbollah. Israel has not commented directly on the attacks; which multiple security sources have said was carried out by its spy agency Mossad.
SHIFTING FOCUS
On Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza since last October, after Hamas-led gunmen stormed communities in southern Israel, was moving into a new phase, with the focus now shifting to the northern border.
He said more military units and resources were being sent to the border. According to Israeli officials, the forces being deployed to the border include the 98th Division, an elite formation including commando and paratroop elements that has been fighting in Gaza.
Hezbollah launched missile barrages on Israel on the day after the 7 Oct attack by Hamas and since then there has been a constant exchange of fire that neither side has allowed to escalate into a full-scale war.
However, tens of thousands have been evacuated on both sides of the border, and there has been mounting pressure in Israel for the government to get the evacuees back home.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to return the evacuated Israelis "securely to their homes".
