Israeli bombing a few days ago in southern Lebanon (French)

On Monday, the southern Lebanese border witnessed an “unprecedented escalation” between Hezbollah and Israel, following the Lebanese party’s use of a large number of heavy missiles to target Israeli sites. In return, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant threatened a very close move by the Israeli army.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah announced that it had carried out 12 operations against Israeli sites off the southern border of Lebanon using Iranian “Burkan” and “Falaq” missiles, which carry high-explosive warheads, confirming that direct hits had been achieved.

The party said that it bombed with Falaq-type missiles Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Jal al-Alam site and in the Baranit barracks. It also bombed with Burkan missiles the Hadab Yaron and Birkat Risha sites and the Baranit barracks, and attacked with missiles the vicinity of the Zarait and Mitat barracks and the sites of Al-Samaqa, Al-Matula and Qal’at Honin.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported hearing explosions around the city of Kiryat Shmona and its surroundings in the Upper Galilee, coinciding with the sound of sirens.

Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio announced that two soldiers were slightly injured as a result of Lebanese Hezbollah bombing on the Pranit military base in the Upper Galilee.

Israeli bombing

On the other hand, the Israeli occupation army said that it targeted two military buildings belonging to Hezbollah in the Yaroun area in southern Lebanon.

For its part, the official Lebanese News Agency reported, “The Al-Dahour area in the town of Kafr Kila in southern Lebanon was subjected to Israeli bombardment with phosphorous missiles.”

Israeli aircraft launched raids on the towns of Al-Taybeh, Hula, Maroun Al-Ras, and Yaroun, and artillery bombarded the vicinity of several southern towns, including Al-Dhaira, Ayta Al-Shaab, Markaba, Al-Khiyam, and Rashaya Al-Fakhar.

The Al Jazeera correspondent added that the sounds of artillery continued, interspersed with strong explosions, in the Galilee finger and Western Hebron areas.

Hezbollah also announced the martyrdom of 2 of its members in border confrontations with the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, bringing the toll to 176 since October 8, 2023.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant inspects artillery forces in the Gaza envelope (Israeli press)

Gallant threats

In a related context, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said - on Monday - that “the Israeli army will move very soon on the border with Lebanon.”

The minister informed the reserve soldiers stationed near the border with Gaza that they would leave the area to move to the north, in preparation for future operations on this front.

Earlier this month, Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevy said that “the possibility of war in the coming months in the north of the country is today much higher than it was in the past.”

In the wake of a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, since October 8, the Israeli-Lebanese border has witnessed tension and intermittent exchanges of fire between the Israeli army on the one hand, and Hezbollah and Palestinian factions on the other hand, which led to deaths and injuries on both sides of the border.

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which as of Monday left 26,637 martyrs and 65,387 injured, most of them children and women, according to the Palestinian authorities, and caused “massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” according to the United Nations.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies