Hezbollah launched a series of drone and rocket attacks into northern Israel on Tuesday, targeting military sites near Acre and an Israeli military vehicle. This escalation follows recent Israeli strikes that have heightened tensions between the two sides. Hezbollah has warned that its full retaliation for the killing of its top commander, Fuad Shukr, last week is still to come.
The Israeli military reported intercepting some of the hostile drones and said that several civilians were injured south of Nahariya. Footage showed one impact site near a bus stop outside the city. The Israeli military also struck two Hezbollah facilities in southern Lebanon in response.
The violence is part of a broader conflict that has been ongoing for the last ten months, linked to the Gaza war. The recent escalation is fueled by Hezbollah’s vow to avenge Shukr’s death and Iran’s threats of retaliation for the killing of the Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran last week.
Earlier on Tuesday, an Israeli strike hit a home in the Lebanese town of Mayfadoun, killing five people, who were reported to be Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah has not yet issued official death notices for these fighters. The Israeli military described the strike as targeting a Hezbollah military structure used to advance attacks against Israel.
Hezbollah also claimed attacks on northern Israel, including using explosive-laden drones against a barracks north of Acre. The Israeli emergency services reported treating a 30-year-old man in serious condition and a 30-year-old woman with moderate injuries from shrapnel.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has promised a “studied” response to Shukr’s killing, and he is expected to address the situation in a televised speech later today. The cross-border violence since October has resulted in significant casualties on both sides. At least 555 people in Lebanon have been killed, including 116 civilians, while Israel has reported 22 soldiers and 25 civilians killed, including in the Golan Heights. As the conflict continues, fears are rising that the Middle East could be drawn into a larger war involving multiple regional powers and factions.