BEIRUT: Hezbollah has said it fired “dozens” of rockets at a military base in Israel in retaliation for Israeli attacks on Lebanon, confirming four of its fighters have been killed. Fears of all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel have risen in recent weeks as threats have intensified between the two sides, which have traded regular cross-border fire since October 7.
Hezbollah stated that “in reply to the enemy strikes that targeted the city of Nabatiyeh and village of Sohmor,” its fighters attacked “the main air and missile defense base of the (Israeli) with dozens of Katyusha rockets.”
The group said in separate statements that at least four of its members, one from eastern Lebanon’s Sohmor, have been killed, and also claimed two other strikes on Israeli positions and troops, including one with drones.
In a statement, the Israeli military said that “about 35 launches were identified crossing from Lebanon side.” It claimed air strikes killed three Hezbollah fighters, one in the Sohmor area and two in the country’s south.
The military also admitted that “two UAVs that were identified crossing from Lebanon fell” in northern areas of Israel.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported Israeli strikes in several parts of south Lebanon on Thursday, and stated a strike a day earlier in Nabatiyeh injured over 20 people when a two-story building was attacked.
Fears have grown the Gaza conflict could become a regional war if the Hezbollah- Israel conflict, which so far has been largely limited to the border area, extends.
France’s ministry of foreign affairs said Thursday that France was “extremely concerned” regarding the fighting, calling “all parties to exercise the greatest restraint.” The violence has killed more than 485 people in Lebanon according to AFP.
