Rabat – Israeli warplanes launched their most intense bombardment on southern Lebanon in months, targeting multiple villages in a span of just two hours.
At least 52 airstrikes hit Aïtaroun, Taybé in the Bint Jbeil region, and Kfar Kila and Meis el-Jabal in Marjeyoun, according to Lebanon’s state-run ANI news agency.
These strikes are among the heaviest since the start of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) ongoing genocide in October 2023, fueling fears of a broader conflict.
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, warned of “terrible punishment” in response to the escalating violence. “Israel will be struck where it expects and where it doesn’t,” Nasrallah declared, threatening severe retaliation for the latest Israeli attacks.
Israel has not officially commented on the recent air raids but earlier confirmed bombing more than 100 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. These strikes followed an Israeli operation that left 37 people dead and thousands injured, sparking outrage in Hezbollah strongholds across the country.
Nasrallah accused Israel of crossing “all red lines” and denounced the attack as a potential “declaration of war.”
As violence rages on the Israeli-Lebanese front, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens. IOF airstrikes on Friday morning killed at least 14 people, including children, in Gaza City and the Nousseirat camp.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military campaign, with the majority being civilians.
The international community is growing increasingly alarmed. The United Nations and USofficials have warned that the violence could spiral into a broader regional conflict, threatening to destabilize the Middle East.
However, despite the alarm, many Western nations, including Israel’s longest ally, the US, have not condemned Israel’s part in the deadly pager explosions across Lebanon. This attack, which has been largely attributed to Israel, has raised the stakes significantly in the geopolitical conflict.
Additionally, diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with senior US officials now privately admitting that an agreement is unlikely before the end of President Joe Biden’s term.
