Israeli Military Conducts Preventive Strikes in Lebanon
The Israeli army announced on Sunday morning its operations of conducting preventive strikes in Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah’s preparations for a major attack against Israel. The army warned residents in southern Lebanon through a message in Arabic on Telegram, urging them to leave areas where Hezbollah operates immediately to ensure their safety. The army claimed to have observed preparations for launching shells and missiles towards Israel.
Israeli Response and Escalating Tensions
In a video message on social media, Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated that fighter jets were currently targeting Hezbollah’s positions. The exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, a Shiite movement supported by Iran, have become almost daily since the start of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The situation escalated following the unprecedented attack on Israeli territory by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Hezbollah’s ally.
Risk of Escalation and Promises of Retaliation
Fears of the violence escalating into a full-scale war have heightened since the deaths of a Hezbollah military leader in late July due to an Israeli strike in Lebanon and the former Hamas leader in Iran, whom Israel is accused of assassinating. Both Hezbollah and Tehran have vowed to retaliate. The violence since October has resulted in over 600 deaths in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters, and at least 131 civilians, according to the Agence France-Presse. In Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, as reported by Israeli authorities.
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