Israeli warplanes launched extensive strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Thursday, hitting hundreds of rocket launcher barrels that were reportedly poised for an imminent attack on Israeli territory, according to a statement from the Israeli military.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that since the afternoon, warplanes had successfully destroyed approximately 100 rocket launchers, which collectively contained around 1,000 barrels, as reported by Reuters. The strikes came just hours after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah issued a stern warning of “tough retribution and just punishment” in response to recent attacks that targeted the group’s communication infrastructure, involving explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies.
Key Points:
- The White House has called for urgent diplomatic efforts to ease the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East. Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized the importance of diplomacy to prevent further conflict. “A diplomatic solution in the Middle East is achievable and urgent,” she said.
- Lebanese officials have concluded that the communication devices, which detonated earlier this week in Lebanon, had been rigged with explosives before being smuggled into the country. A letter from Lebanon’s UN mission to the Security Council, reviewed by Reuters, accused Israel of orchestrating these attacks. The devices, including pagers and hand-held radios, were remotely detonated via electronic messages.
- Hsu Ching-kuang, president and founder of Gold Apollo, a Taiwanese pager company implicated in the explosion of thousands of pagers targeting Hezbollah, was questioned by prosecutors late into Thursday night before being released. Hsu denied that Gold Apollo manufactured the devices, instead attributing their production to Budapest-based BAC, a company licensed to use the Gold Apollo brand.
- Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Israel of crossing a “red line” with the recent bombings, which involved the remote detonation of hundreds of Hezbollah’s communication devices in Lebanon and Syria, as reported by the Associated Press. The attacks resulted in 37 deaths and approximately 3,000 injuries, escalating concerns of an impending war.
- The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has entered its 11th month since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October. The recent detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies has opened a new front in the ongoing cross-border clashes, intensifying fears of an all-out war.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged for de-escalation, particularly concerning Lebanon. “France and the United States stand united in calling for restraint and urging de-escalation in the region,” Blinken said.
- On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a “new phase” in the ongoing conflict, following the deaths of at least 12 people from the pager explosions. “We are entering a new phase in the war. It will require courage, determination, and perseverance,” Gallant said at an air force base, as reported by Reuters.
Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attacks on Hezbollah’s communication equipment. However, multiple security sources have hinted that Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, was likely behind the operation.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah has reached a critical point, marking one of the fiercest escalations between the two sides in recent years. With the Middle East on edge, the international community continues to push for diplomacy, even as both sides prepare for the possibility of further confrontation.
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