On Tuesday, Israel announced that it deployed a new division to southern Lebanon. This move marks a significant escalation in its operations against Hezbollah. The Israeli military targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, conducting airstrikes in a well-known Hezbollah stronghold. Two Israeli officials confirmed that airstrikes also occurred near the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Syria.
In retaliation, Hezbollah launched around 180 projectiles into Israel. The Israeli military reported that most of these projectiles were intercepted. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a video message that last week’s airstrikes killed important Hezbollah figures, including the potential successor to Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s assassinated leader. Netanyahu identified Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s cousin and expected replacement, as a specific target. However, neither Hezbollah nor Israel has confirmed Safieddine’s death.
As tensions rise, the region braces for possible further retaliation from Israel following an Iranian missile attack. The strikes in Damascus aimed to eliminate a high-ranking Hezbollah official involved in weapons smuggling, according to unnamed Israeli sources. Israel fired missiles from the Golan Heights, striking a residential building in the Mezzeh district of Damascus, an area that houses embassies and security installations. Syrian state media reported seven deaths, including women and children, along with several injuries from the strikes. (The Newyork Times)
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