Israeli warplanes target Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon; destroy 1,000 rocket launcher barrels
Israeli military aircraft targeted Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon on Thursday, striking numerous rocket launchers set to attack Israeli territory imminently, as reported by the military.
According to news agency Reuters, the IDF reported that approximately 100 rocket launchers made up of about 1000 barrels were targeted by warplanes starting in the afternoon.
This occurred hours after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah‘s warning of severe retaliation for the consecutive strikes that targeted the militant organization’s communication networks by utilizing hidden explosives in pagers and walkie-talkies.
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Lebanon’s UN mission to the Security Council stated that communication devices that exploded in the country this week were pre-rigged with explosives before arriving.
The gadgets, such as pagers and handheld radios, were exploded from a distance using electronic messages, as described in the letter Reuters saw on Thursday. Lebanon’s delegation also pointed the finger at Israel for planning and executing the assaults.
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37 killed, thousands wounded in attacks on Hezbollah’s communications equipment
The targeting of Hezbollah’s communication gear resulted in the deaths of 37 individuals and injuries to approximately 3,000, prompting concerns of an impending all-out conflict.
As the war in Israel continues for its 11th month, the sudden increase in pagers and walkie-talkies in the opposing north has created a new battleground, leading to concerns of a full-scale war.
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Israel has chosen not to comment on its role in the pager and walkie-talkie attacks, refusing to confirm or deny any involvement. Yet, many security sources have implied that Mossad, the intelligence agency of Israel, executed the operation.
Ever since the Gaza war started in October, there has been a fierce cross-border conflict between Israel and Iran-supported Hezbollah, representing the most severe escalation between them in years.
