Israel launched a large-scale attack on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. This follows a statement by Hezbollah aired on television against recent attacks with pagers and walkie-talkies.
IDF Official Statement of the Attack
BREAKING: Heavy bombardments by the Israeli Air Force on Hezbollah cells in Lebanon as soon as Nasrallah’s speech began.
We’re sending a clear message.
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) September 19, 2024
The Israel Defense Forces stated that the purpose of the strikes is to weaken the capabilities of Hezbollah to act. “We are hitting Hezbollah in Lebanon in order to destroy their terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. They have used civilian areas as shields and made southern Lebanon a war zone for years,” the IDF posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
According to reports, the IDF said it aims to return security to northern Israel and to let residents return home.
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Hezbollah Leader Threatens ‘Declaration of War’
The leader of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, made his speech in reply to the attacks. It was his first public appearance since explosives hidden in radios and pagers targeted Hezbollah early this week. Nasrallah mentioned that actions conducted by Israel are a “declaration of war.”
Escalating Tensions and Border Skirmishes
Even as Nasrallah was speaking, Israeli warplanes could be heard flying over Beirut, producing loud sonic booms. Sonics are now increasingly frequent and fuel a fear that something bigger is brewing. It was later confirmed that Israel indeed conducted a bombing raid in southern Lebanon earlier in the day, and before the afternoon closed, Hezbollah reported more bomb raids along the tense border.
Casualties and War Worries
The hits on Hezbollah’s communication infrastructure have so far claimed at least 37 and 3,000 wounded or injured. Many are now gravely concerned that the war may be just a matter of time.
It has neither confirmed nor denied it’s behind hitting the pagers and walkie-talkies but security sources seem certain it’s the handiwork of Mossad, Israel’s spy agency.
Aftermath of the Gaza War
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war last October, Israel and Hezbollah have been locked in heavy cross-border fighting. For the first time in years, the tensions are ratcheting up between both sides, which have not yet resolved their conflict.
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