Relatives mourn brothers killed in Israeli strike on south Lebanon
Relatives held a funeral for Ali and Mohammed Qassem, who were killed in an Israeli strike on the village of Houla.
Hezbollah and Israel have traded fire in parallel to the war in Gaza, which has marked the worst conflict across Lebanon’s southern border since 2006, fuelling fears of a larger confrontation. Hezbollah says it will keep shelling as long as Israel’s war on Gaza continues.
About 90,000 civilians have also been evacuated from southern Lebanon, one-third of them children, according to United Nations figures. Tens of thousands of people have also fled northern Israel.
People grieve over the coffins of Ali and Mohammed Qassem, who were killed on Sunday in an Israeli attack
Hezbollah announces killing of two fighters
The Lebanese armed group has identified the dead as Hussein Nassereddine, 44, and Ali Sabra, 49.
The Iran-allied group claimed several attacks against Israel today, including firing dozens of rockets at an Israeli military position on the eastern side of the border.
Hezbollah has been engaged in daily cross-border battles with Israel since the outbreak of the war on Gaza in October.
The Israeli military occupied parts of southern Lebanon for decades until its withdrawal in 2000, raising fears that Israel’s ultimate aim is to control Lebanon’s water-rich southern areas. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned last month that Lebanon will “pay the price” for Hezbollah’s actions, claiming the Israeli military has killed 300 of the group’s fighters.
Hezbollah attack sparks blazes in northern Israel
A rocket attack by Hezbollah has led to fires near Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that fire crews are working to put out the blazes.
Yair Lapid says Israeli deterrence ‘burning’ as fires rage in north
The Israeli opposition leader slammed the Netanyahu government after a Hezbollah rocket attack led to fires in northern Israel.
“The north is going up in flames and Israeli deterrence is burning with it,” Lapid wrote in a social media post. “The government has no plan for the day-after in Gaza, no plan to return the residents to the north, no management, no strategy. A government of total lawlessness.”
Right-wing Israeli minister calls for ‘security zone’ in south Lebanon
Finance Minister Smotrich called for escalation against Hezbollah, telling Israel’s political and military leader the “time has come” to decisively deal with the Lebanese group.
Smotrich said in a social media post that a buffer zone against Hezbollah must be created inside Lebanon.
“The new concept led by the war cabinet has been going up in flames for many hours and is exploding in our faces,” he added, referring to the blazes set off by a Hezbollah rocket attack in northern Israel.
The Israeli military occupied parts of southern Lebanon between 1982 and 2000, setting up an Israeli-controlled zone that it argued was meant to protect Israel’s security. But Hezbollah regularly attacked Israeli troops inside the occupied area and launched rockets that reached Israel during that time.
Hezbollah deploys drone squadron at Israel
Lebanon’s Hezbollah says it launched a squadron of drones towards the headquarters of the Israeli military’s Galilee formation in an intensification of cross-border strikes. Hezbollah also said it launched dozens of Katyusha rockets towards Israeli targets in the occupied Golan Heights.
Air raid sirens sounded numerous times across northern Israel, sending residents running for shelter. The Israeli military said it intercepted one drone from Lebanon carrying explosives and at least two others fell in northern Israel.
