Hezbollah militants launched artillery shells and rockets at Israeli soldiers near the Lebanese border village of Labbouneh on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The Lebanese militant group, which has been engaged in ground clashes and rocket attacks against Israel for the past year, claimed in a statement that it had forced Israeli troops to retreat. The Israeli military confirmed that three of its soldiers were severely injured during combat on Tuesday and Wednesday in southern Lebanon.
In response, Israel has intensified its airstrikes, targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut's southern suburbs overnight. The Israeli government reported a series of successful operations against Hezbollah leadership, including the assassination of two high-ranking successors to Hezbollah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27. Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not specify their identities, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that one of the slain leaders was Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s likely successor. Israel is still assessing Safieddine’s status following the attack.
The conflict, which has escalated dramatically in recent weeks, has left over 2,100 people dead in Lebanon and displaced around 1.2 million people. Israel’s aggressive military campaign in Lebanon coincides with its ongoing operations in Gaza, with Hezbollah fighting alongside Palestinian militants in a bid to challenge Israeli territorial control.
Despite Israel’s targeted strikes, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem stated that the group’s operational capabilities remained intact, even as efforts are underway by Lebanon’s parliament speaker to broker a ceasefire. However, Hezbollah notably softened its stance by dropping the precondition that a ceasefire in Gaza must be reached before the group halts its attacks on Israel.
The United States has been closely monitoring the developments in the region, with U.S. President Joe Biden expected to hold talks with Netanyahu on Wednesday. Biden’s administration has sought to influence Israel’s response to Iran’s missile strike last week, which Tehran carried out in retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Lebanon. The missile strike, which resulted in no casualties, further heightened tensions, with both Israel and Iran issuing warnings of severe retaliation. Washington is attempting to ensure that any Israeli strike on Iran remains measured and avoids sparking a broader regional conflict.
The U.S. Department of Defense also confirmed the cancellation of a scheduled visit to Washington by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reportedly due to Netanyahu’s preference to consult with Biden first. Western powers continue to push for diplomatic solutions, fearing that the conflict could expand across the Middle East, destabilizing key oil-producing regions and potentially drawing in the United States.
The violence in both Lebanon and Gaza has triggered a massive humanitarian crisis. More than three million people have been displaced across both regions, and Gaza faces severe shortages of food and water. The death toll in Gaza has surged to over 42,000, according to Palestinian health authorities, as Israel maintains its military campaign in response to Hamas’s deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
As the conflict rages on, calls for a ceasefire from international allies continue to grow. However, Israel has remained firm in its stance that military operations will persist until Israeli civilians are no longer under threat.