Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant on a previous visit to the settlements bordering Lebanon (Anatolia)

Hezbollah said that 5 of its members were killed in an Israeli bombing of southern Lebanon, while Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant threatened to expand the conflict, increase the frequency of attacks, and strike Beirut and Damascus.

Earlier today, the Israeli army announced the assassination of "Ali Abdel Hassan Naim, deputy commander of the rocket and missile unit in Hezbollah."

The Israeli army explained that it killed Ali Abdel Hassan Naim in an air strike in the Al-Bazouriya area in Lebanon.

He added that Naim was "one of the leaders of the militants allied with Iran in the field of launching heavy-weight missiles and was responsible for planning and launching attacks on Israeli civilians."

Later, the Israeli army said that it bombed a series of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including “missile launching pads, military buildings, and infrastructure.”

He indicated in a statement that the targets that were bombed were in the areas of Mays al-Jabal and Burnet (south), without details.

A fissure and a volcano

On the other hand, Hezbollah announced that it attacked 8 Israeli sites, off the southern border of Lebanon.

The party said that its fighters bombed with Burkan missiles the headquarters of the 91st Division in the Israeli Baranit barracks, and targeted with Falaq missiles soldiers at the Jal al-Alam site.

The party also bombed with artillery the Honin barracks and an infantry force in Hadab Yaroun, and targeted the Metulla site, the Zabdin barracks in the occupied Shebaa Farms, and the Al-Samaqa site in the Kfar Shuba hills.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona and other towns in the Upper Galilee.

Threat of escalation

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant threatened to expand the scope of attacks in Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut.

Gallant said that Israel and its army turned from defenders to pursuers of Hezbollah "wherever it was found, in Beirut, Baalbek, Tyre, Sidon, Nabatiyeh, and much farther places, such as Damascus and others."

During an assessment tour of the border, Gallant threatened to expand the campaign and increase the frequency of attacks in the north, as he put it.

He added, "This is what I said this week in Washington to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and this is what I said to Special Envoy Amos Hockstein and others, and this is how I recommended today to the Israeli army in the Northern Command."

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies