An Israeli airstrike deep in northeastern Lebanon near the city of Baalbek has resulted in at least three people being wounded, according to a local official. The strike, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, is the latest in a series of attacks in the area in recent weeks and has heightened tensions between Israel and Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group.
Baalbek is known as a stronghold of Hezbollah, and the Israeli airstrike targeted a workshop reportedly used by the group for military activities. Baalbek’s mayor, Bachir Khodr, confirmed the airstrike and the injuries, although it remains unclear what specific target was struck.
The timing of the airstrike is notable, coming just hours after Hezbollah claimed responsibility for using explosive-laden drones to attack an Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system in Kfar Blum, a town in northern Israel.
In response to the airstrike, the Israeli military reported that around 50 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel, with some intercepted by defense systems while others landed in open areas.
This incident adds to a pattern of escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah, which has intensified since Israel’s conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza began in October. Earlier airstrikes near Baalbek on March 12 resulted in casualties and further heightened tensions in the region.
Hezbollah has been actively targeting Israeli military posts along the border since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from Israel. The Baalbek area has been a frequent target in recent weeks, signaling a dangerous escalation in the conflict between the two sides.
Sources By Agencies
