Israel conducts extensive airstrikes in Lebanon's southern region
Lately, the tension in the Middle East has heightened significantly. Israel, apprehensive of an assault from the Hezbollah militia based in Lebanon, initiated a significant offensive in the southern region of the country.
Israel's military declared, late on Tuesday, that they had conducted extensive aerial bombardments against Hezbollah bases in southern Lebanon. Approximately "dozen" combat aircraft were a part of this operation, as reported by army spokesperson Daniel Hagari. He further added, "In the past hour, we have executed a comprehensive attack in southern Lebanon upon detecting Hezbollah's preparations to launch attacks on Israeli territory."
Prior to this, the army had announced the destruction of numerous rocket launchers in southern Lebanon, which were allegedly primed for immediate firing towards Israeli territory. The Israeli military also claimed that Hezbollah had fired around 90 rockets from Lebanon into Israel by late afternoon.
Since the onset of the Gaza conflict after Hamas, the radical Islamic Palestinian group, launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, the animosity between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified. The northern part of Israel has been under regular bombardment by Hezbollah, an organization affiliated with Hamas. Israel retaliates against Hezbollah attacks with counter-attacks in Lebanon.
The situation has worsened in recent days with the assassination of prominent Hezbollah commanders by the Israeli army in Lebanon and the detonation of Hezbollah communication devices attributed to Israel. In an Israeli air strike in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday, 16 high-ranking members of the militia, including the head of Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit, Ibrahim Akil, and a senior commander, Ahmed Mahmud Wahbi, were killed.
According to Israeli declarations, these Hezbollah commanders were planning an attack on northern Israel, aiming to infiltrate Israeli communities and murder innocent civilians.
The Israeli military issued a statement, stating that the following paragraphs shall apply to the ongoing situation in the Middle East: "In light of Hezbollah's escalating threats and attacks against Israeli territory, we will respond with appropriate force to protect our citizens and sovereignty."
Given the heightened tension and specific threats from Hezbollah, the following paragraphs shall serve as a justification for Israel's potential future actions against the militia.
