BEIRUT: Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated once again as Israeli airstrikes struck southern Lebanon near the city of Sidon on Monday. At least two Israeli air strikes targeted the coastal city of Sidon, AFP reported.
The strikes, reported by state media and confirmed by AFP, targeted the town of Ghaziyeh, marking a significant escalation in the conflict.
While exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel have become routine along the border, the strikes on Ghaziyeh, located approximately 30 kilometers from the nearest Israeli frontier and less than five kilometers from Sidon, represent a departure from the usual battleground.
According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), Israeli warplanes carried out the strikes, targeting a vehicle in Ghaziyeh. Ambulances rushed to the scene, though further details were not immediately provided.
Eyewitnesses reported at least two successive strikes in Ghaziyeh, with dark smoke billowing across the area. One of the strikes appeared to have targeted a hangar close to the main coastal highway.
Israeli Military Strikes in Lebanon
This latest incident follows the Israeli military’s recent announcement of a strike in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh, which resulted in the death of a Hezbollah commander, his deputy, and another fighter, along with civilian casualties. Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has vowed retaliation, warning that the group possesses precision-guided missiles capable of reaching deep into Israeli territory.
The increase in violence has raised concerns internationally, with fears mounting of a return to full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Since October, cross-border exchanges have resulted in the deaths of at least 269 people in Lebanon.
