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Hezbollah missiles hit Israel’s Haifa in escalating conflict

An Israeli police officer inspects the damage to a residential building caused by a rocket fired towards Israel from Lebanon, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, in Haifa, Israel, October 7, 2024. REUTERS/Rami Shlush 

Escalation of the Israel-Hezbollah Conflict on the Gaza War Anniversary

Hezbollah Attacks on Haifa and Tiberias

On Monday, Hezbollah launched a series of rocket attacks on Israel’s third-largest city, Haifa, and the northern city of Tiberias as the conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group intensified. Hezbollah, backed by Iran and allied with Hamas, claimed responsibility for firing “Fadi 1” missiles targeting a military base south of Haifa. Later, additional attacks were launched on areas north of Haifa and inland toward Tiberias. Israel’s military confirmed that by 5 p.m. local time, approximately 135 projectiles had been fired into Israeli territory, injuring at least 10 people in Haifa and two others further south.

Israeli Response and Ground Operations

In response to the Hezbollah rocket attacks, Israel intensified its airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, as ground operations escalated in the region. The Israeli military has been steadily increasing its ground presence in southern Lebanon, focusing on clearing areas where Hezbollah militants are entrenched. On Monday, Israeli forces launched a wave of airstrikes on 120 Hezbollah targets within one hour, hitting key elements of the group’s missile force, intelligence units, and Radwan special forces.

Israel described its ground operations as “localized, limited, and targeted,” with a primary aim to secure its northern border areas from Hezbollah infiltration. However, Israeli forces have confirmed the deaths of two soldiers during border skirmishes, bringing the death toll to 11 for Israeli troops inside Lebanon since the conflict escalated.

Rising Casualties in Lebanon

The conflict has led to rising casualties in southern Lebanon. On Monday, Lebanon’s health ministry reported that 10 firefighters were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a municipal building in Bint Jbeil. Over the weekend, Israeli aerial attacks also killed 22 people in towns across southern and eastern Lebanon.

Widespread Regional Conflict and Threat of Further Escalation

The escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah comes against the backdrop of the first anniversary of the Gaza war, during which Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. Hezbollah initiated its rocket campaign on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas, leading to increasingly fierce exchanges of fire between the group and Israeli forces.

The broader regional conflict has raised concerns that both the United States and Iran could be drawn into a wider war, given their respective ties to Israel and Hezbollah. In early October, Iran launched missiles at Israel, further heightening tensions. Israel, in response, has weighed retaliatory options, including potential strikes on Iranian oil facilities.

Warnings and Displacement in Lebanon

The intensification of Israeli airstrikes has led to the displacement of over 1.2 million people in Lebanon. Many fear the scale of destruction in Lebanon could mirror the devastation seen in Gaza, where Israeli air and ground offensives have killed nearly 42,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel has also issued warnings in Arabic to avoid the southern Lebanese coastline, as it plans to launch naval operations against Hezbollah.

Context: First Anniversary of the Hamas Attack

Monday also marked the first anniversary of Hamas’ surprise assault on Israel, during which militants killed approximately 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages. The Hamas attack, which targeted Israeli towns near the Gaza border, has been described as the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and led to a massive Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza. The ongoing Israeli campaign in Gaza has resulted in widespread destruction in the densely populated territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the importance of counterattacks on what he described as Iran’s “axis of evil” in the region, asserting that these efforts are essential to securing Israel’s future and preventing future attacks like those carried out by Hamas.

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