Israel’s military conducted new attacks on targets in Lebanon on Thursday, following its strikes in southern Lebanon that reportedly killed at least 10 civilians, marking the highest death toll in months of cross-border fighting, according to Lebanese state media. The strikes were in response to a rocket attack from Lebanon on Wednesday that killed one Israeli soldier and injured eight others, raising concerns that the ongoing clashes could escalate into a full-scale war.
Lebanon’s state media reported that among the 10 civilians killed in the Israeli strikes were seven members of a single family in the city of Nabatieh. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the Israeli military’s actions and called for an urgent complaint against Israel to be brought before the U.N. Security Council.
Israel’s military later confirmed that its fighter jets had carried out additional strikes inside Lebanon against targets belonging to Hezbollah, the powerful militia allied with Hamas in Gaza. Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in intense cross-border strikes since the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on Oct. 7.
Hezbollah has announced the deaths of at least eight of its fighters since Wednesday, with Israel’s military confirming the death of a commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force. The escalating tensions have reignited fears of a second front opening in Israel’s conflict with Hamas, as both sides have indicated their readiness to engage in further fighting.
Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, stated that while they have no interest in war, they must prepare for it. He also mentioned discussing the “ongoing threats and attacks” from Hezbollah with the U.S. defense secretary, Lloyd J. Austin III. The United States and other countries have been involved in diplomatic efforts to ease the cross-border tensions.
2024-02-15 14:30:02
Source from www.nytimes.com