Hezbollah launched one of its heaviest barrages against Israel in recent months on Sunday, firing around 250 projectiles in response to a major Israeli airstrike that killed at least 29 people in Beirut the previous day.
Hezbollah started targeting Israel with rockets, missiles and drones after Hamas' October 7, 2023, surprise attack against Israel, triggering the latest round of hostilities in the perennially conflict-prone region.
The Israeli airstrike targeted Hezbollah's military infrastructure, and was also aimed at taking out Mohammad Haidar, one of Hezbollah’s senior commanders. Israeli officials later confirmed that Haidar survived the attack. The airstrike caused widespread damage in Beirut, with at least 65 people wounded, apart from the 29 fatalities; the numbers could still go up, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Hezbollah's retaliation prompted air raid sirens across much of Israel, including in the Tel Aviv region. The Israeli military reported that some of the projectiles were intercepted by air defence systems, while others hit central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area and the hilltop town of Safed.
Israeli emergency services reported treating at least six individuals for injuries caused by the rocket fire, with some reports indicating damage to civilian properties, including homes set ablaze. Despite the extensive barrage, the Israeli military managed to intercept many of the projectiles, mitigating potential damage and casualties.
The exchange of fire underscores a pattern of escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, with Hezbollah explicitly stating that its rocket attacks were a direct response to the Israeli strikes on Beirut. They claimed to have targeted specific military installations in Tel Aviv, although the Israeli military refused to confirm or deny the claims.
Israel said it was targeting military infrastructure near the Lebanon-Syria border and within the Dahiya neighbourhood of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. The area has seen increased bombardment over the past few weeks, coinciding ironically with the ongoing international diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire.
The situation has drawn attention from various international diplomats, including American and European Union officials. Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was passed to prevent further hostilities following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Borrell warned that Lebanon was on the brink of collapse due to the ongoing violence and urged both parties to accept the ceasefire proposal.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the Israeli airstrikes as a direct repudiation of ceasefire efforts. He said the violence undermined initiatives to strengthen the Lebanese army's presence in the southern region and to implement UN resolutions aimed at stabilising the border area. Mikati’s government has faced significant challenges in dealing with the humanitarian crisis, with already a million people displaced within Lebanon.
Despite the escalating violence, American mediator Amos Hochstein has reported progress in negotiations, although significant details regarding implementation and enforcement remain tenuous. Israeli media sources indicated that a meeting of Israel’s security cabinet was convened to discuss the situation, reflecting ongoing deliberations about military strategy and diplomatic efforts.
