Hezbollah launched more than 200 rockets towards northern Israel on Wednesday morning, one of the largest barrages since the war on Gaza began. The attacks came in retaliation for Israel killing a senior Hezbollah commander, Taleb Abdullah, in an airstrike in southeastern Lebanon the previous evening.
The Israeli military confirmed killing Abdullah and three other Hezbollah fighters in the strike on the town of Jouaiyya. It stated at least 215 rockets were fired from Lebanon, with air raid sirens sounding across the north. While many rockets were intercepted, several landed causing fires, though no casualties were reported.
Israeli airstrikes then targeted the rocket launch sites in southern Lebanon's Yaroun area. Footage showed warplanes attacking what Israel identified as the source of the rocket fire.
The escalation raises concerns that the military confrontation between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah is expanding, with both sides saying they are prepared for broader conflict even as fighting has largely remained limited to border skirmishes so far.
Hezbollah also claimed downing a third Israeli drone over Lebanon using a surface-to-air missile in recent days, after firing missiles at Israeli jets earlier this week in attempts to challenge Israel's air superiority.
As the war on Gaza rages with no ceasefire in sight, the new border escalation with Hezbollah threatens to open a second front for Israel despite both sides previously seeking to avoid wider war. Hamas said it has responded to the latest truce proposal, which includes a prisoner swap and Gaza reconstruction plan.
