Explosions were reported overnight on Sunday near Marjayoun, a town in southern Lebanon close to the Israeli border. Fire and smoke were visible from Tyre, a coastal city further to the west.
Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, claimed responsibility for launching hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel on Sunday, describing the attacks as retaliation for the assassination of a senior commander in Beirut last month. The Israeli government confirmed that its military had carried out airstrikes in Lebanon shortly before Hezbollah’s barrage, stating that it had anticipated the attacks.
The escalation follows rising tensions between the two sides, particularly after a missile strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last month resulted in the deaths of 12 people. In response to that incident, the Israeli military carried out an operation in Beirut, killing a top Hezbollah commander.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking on Sunday, vowed to take all necessary measures to protect Israel. “We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes, and to continue to uphold a simple rule: Whoever harms us – we harm him,” Netanyahu said.
The developments have further heightened concerns about a potential escalation in the region, with both sides signaling their readiness for continued conflict.
