As both sides continue to exchange gunfire amid rising regional tensions, Israel began airstrikes on eastern Lebanon early on Sunday, targeting what it claimed to be Hezbollah infrastructure targets following the armed group’s downing of an Israeli drone over the nation.
In a statement, the Israeli army said that fighter jets had attacked three Hezbollah-owned infrastructure installations as well as a military base in the eastern city of Baalbek.
Israel claimed that the most recent incident was a reaction to Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran, downing an unmanned aerial vehicle in Lebanese airspace. The group recognized the drone as an Israeli-made Hermes 900.
Over Lebanon’s southern border, Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging gunfire since October 8, the day after Hamas, a Palestinian organization, started an offensive on Israel that sparked Israel’s war in Gaza and led to escalating regional tensions.
Over 50 civilians and 270 Hezbollah fighters have been killed by Israeli strike. Almost 96,000 have been forced from the country’s northern border area, and another 90,000 people have been displaced in southern Lebanon.
The United States and other nations have attempted to mediate a diplomatic end to the firefights between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah declared that it would not put out the fire until Gaza was under a cease-fire.
According to two security sources, Hezbollah training center in Janta village, close to the Syrian border, and the town of Safri, close to Baalbek, were the targets of the most recent Israeli attack on Lebanon.
The sources stated that no casualties from the strikes had been reported.
(Reuters)
