Hezbollah announced in five separate statements today, Tuesday, that its forces targeted the Israeli settlements of Metula, Kfar Yuval, and Kiryat Shmona using rocket barrages. Additionally, they targeted a unit of the Israeli army east of the Khiyam detention center in southern Lebanon.
In its first statement, the party indicated that "in defense of Lebanon and its people, and as part of the warning we issued to several settlements in northern occupied Palestine, we targeted the settlements of Metula and Kfar Yuval at 00:01 on Tuesday with rocket barrages," according to the German news agency.
Details of the Incident
In a second statement, Hezbollah noted that it targeted the settlement of Metula for the second time at 20:02 on Tuesday. It also reported in a third statement that its forces targeted an Israeli army unit east of the Khiyam detention center at 07:45 on Tuesday.
In a fourth statement, the party announced the targeting of the settlement of Kiryat Shmona with rocket barrages at 00:07, while the same settlement was targeted for the second time at 00:08 on Tuesday, according to the fifth statement.
It is noteworthy that Hezbollah had previously targeted an Israeli army site south of the city of Haifa on March 2, reflecting the escalating tensions in the region.
Background & Context
These operations come amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes on various areas in Lebanon, where Israeli warplanes have launched a series of strikes targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut, as well as areas in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa. The airstrikes have extended to regions in Mount Lebanon and northern Lebanon, and continue to this day.
After mid-March, the Israeli army began incursion operations into Lebanese territory in the south, where Hezbollah is responding to these operations, further complicating the security situation in the region.
Impact & Consequences
Israeli airstrikes continue in southern and eastern Lebanon, with warplanes launching strikes on the towns of Ain Qana, Tair Debba, Arab Salim, and Markaba on Tuesday morning, resulting in two fatalities and several injuries who were transported to hospitals in Tyre.
The towns of Al-Haniyya and Al-Qulayla also suffered Israeli artillery shelling, while reconnaissance aircraft flew over Tyre and its surroundings. Later, Israeli warplanes targeted uninhabited houses in Salatina and Ain Baal, resulting in nine injuries in the Qatrani area.
Regional Significance
Concerns are growing over escalating tensions in the region, as Iranian-backed Iraqi factions seek to expand their attacks against the United States and its interests, which could lead to a larger escalation in the regional conflict.
At the same time, the U.S. administration has halted Israeli strikes on the Masnaa border crossing between Syria and Lebanon, reflecting diplomatic efforts to curb military escalation in the region.