The Israeli military conducted overnight strikes in Lebanon following a rocket attack from Lebanon that killed at least 12 people in an Israeli-controlled town. Israel attributed the attack to Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese group that has denied responsibility, leading to fears of escalating tensions.
The Israeli military targeted familiar locations in Lebanon, primarily near the border with Israel and around Tyre. Additionally, strikes occurred in the Bekaa Valley, indicating a potential broader response. There are concerns that this incident might intensify the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cut short his US trip, is expected to convene a meeting to discuss Israel’s response upon his return. The statement from his office emphasized that Hezbollah would face significant consequences for the attack, hinting at a forthcoming retaliation.
The rocket struck an Arab town in the Golan Heights, a region captured by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1981, a move unrecognized by most countries. Despite some Druse Arabs in the Golan Heights still considering themselves Syrian and refusing Israeli citizenship, the area is home to a significant population of Jewish Israelis.