Tensions between Israel and Lebanon escalated dramatically on Sunday as Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on numerous targets in southern Lebanon. The attacks came in response to an attack by Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia, on Israel with a barrage of drones and rockets. Hezbollah’s actions were in retaliation for the death of one of their top commanders in a Beirut suburb last month.
The exchange of attacks marked the most intense conflict between the two sides in months. Despite the heavy fighting, both Israel and Hezbollah later signaled a desire to de-escalate the situation. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while acknowledging the success of Israeli defenses in intercepting Hezbollah’s attack, warned that the events of Sunday were not the end of the conflict. “We are and will be striking Hezbollah with surprising, crushing blows,” he stated. The Israeli military confirmed that airstrikes on Hezbollah targets continued.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed concerns about the escalating situation during a meeting with U.S. Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had arrived in Egypt shortly after the intense missile exchange. Al-Sisi emphasized the need for the international community to act decisively to de-escalate tensions and prevent a major conflict that could destabilize the entire region. “The international community needs to exert all efforts and intensify pressures to defuse tension and stop the state of escalation that threatens the security and stability of the entire region,” said al-Sisi, emphasizing the potential dangers of a new front opening in Lebanon.
Reports confirmed three deaths in Lebanon, with no casualties reported in Israel. The extent of damage in Israel appeared to be limited. Hezbollah indicated that further attacks were not planned at this time. Israel’s foreign minister stated that the country was not seeking a full-scale war. However, the possibility of any major escalation in the fighting, which began simultaneously with the conflict in Gaza, risks escalating into a regional war, potentially drawing in Hezbollah’s backer Iran and Israel’s main ally, the United States.
Sunday’s airstrikes came as negotiators met in Cairo in a last-ditch effort to secure a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The heightened tensions between Israel and Lebanon add another layer of complexity to the already volatile situation in the region.
