The Israeli military on Thursday called for the immediate evacuation of residents from over 20 towns in southern Lebanon, including the provincial capital Nabatieh, as it continued its ground incursion against Hezbollah. This action follows Israel’s most significant military losses in a year while fighting the Iran-backed militant group.
The evacuation warning signals a potentially broader Israeli operation aimed at further weakening Hezbollah, which has escalated its rocket attacks on Israeli civilian and military targets since the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began nearly a year ago.
READ: Iran’s Missile Attack Tried To Overwhelm Air Israeli Defenses, Israel Prepares To Hit Back
In a two-wave assault on October 2, Hezbollah launched multiple rockets at Israeli forces near Avivim and claimed attacks on Haifa and various military posts along the Israel-Lebanon border.
In response, Israel launched airstrikes in southern Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, targeting key infrastructure. Explosions in the suburb resulted in several large plumes of smoke, with reports confirming that Israeli forces struck a Hezbollah base, killing at least 15 militants. In another significant airstrike, Israeli jets bombed central Beirut, causing a blast near the Lebanese parliament building that killed nine people, including seven members of a Hezbollah-affiliated civil defense group.
Israel’s ground forces continue to push into southern Lebanon, where they encountered fierce resistance, resulting in the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers on Wednesday. The operation comes after two weeks of intense airstrikes against Hezbollah targets, escalating regional tensions and drawing the involvement of the United States and Iran.
Iran’s Largest Attack on Israel Prompts Israeli, U.S. Retaliation Threats
Earlier in the week, Iran launched its largest missile assault on Israel to date, in what it described as retaliation for the assassination of senior Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, as well as Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Tehran, however, signaled it would refrain from further attacks unless provoked, while Israeli and U.S. leaders vowed swift retaliation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Iran had “made a big mistake” and that it would “pay for it.”
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U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan called the missile attack a “significant escalation” but confirmed that many of the missiles were intercepted by U.S. and Israeli defense systems. Despite these efforts, some missiles caused damage to civilian areas and military installations, including near Tel Aviv and the Negev Desert.
Regional Allies Join the Conflict
Iran’s allies in the region, including Yemen’s Houthis and various Iraqi militias, have also joined the conflict, launching missile and drone attacks against Israeli targets. The Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on Tel Aviv using drones, while Iranian-backed militias in Iraq threatened to target U.S. forces if they supported Israeli retaliatory measures against Iran.
In Lebanon, Israel is also bracing for possible larger-scale ground incursions by Hezbollah, which has reportedly deployed 3,000 Iranian-backed fighters, including members of the elite Radwan special operations forces. These fighters are allegedly preparing for a coordinated ground assault on Israeli positions, adding a new layer of complexity to the already volatile conflict.
READ: Florida Sen. Rick Scott: U.S. Must Hold Iran Accountable For Attacks On Israel
Looking Ahead: Increased Regional Tensions and Potential Retaliation
As the conflict continues to escalate, Israeli officials are reportedly planning “significant retaliation” against Iran, targeting Iranian military infrastructure or conducting high-profile assassinations. The Israeli military is also considering strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities if further attacks occur.
Iran has warned that any retaliatory actions by Israel will lead to even larger strikes, threatening to target critical Israeli infrastructure. The conflict, which began as part of Israel’s ongoing battle with Hamas, now risks evolving into a broader regional war involving major global powers.
The situation remains highly fluid, with both sides preparing for further escalations as the fighting intensifies along the Israel-Lebanon border and beyond.
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