Israel bombards Beirut suburbs and southern Lebanon as conflict with Hezbollah escalates | US-Israel war on Iran

Israeli warplanes bombed the southern suburbs of Beirut and southern Lebanon after Hezbollah launched drones and rockets into northern Israel on Wednesday night, sharply escalating the 10-day conflict.

Hezbollah launched repeated rocket and drone attacks on Israel on Wednesday night, wounding two people; Most of the bullets were either intercepted or fell into open areas.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later announced that they had carried out some attacks against Hezbollah.

In a statement carried by Fars and Tasnim news agencies, the Guard said the “joint and integrated operation” involved a missile attack carried out by Iran in combination with missile and drone fire from Hezbollah.

The statement stated that the operation focused on “more than 50 targets” on Israeli territory, including Israeli military bases in Haifa, Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

Hezbollah’s attack was its most intense since the pro-Iran group first fired rockets at Israel 10 days ago, triggering a retaliatory Israeli military offensive. The rockets were launched together with Iranian missiles; This marks the first time the two have coordinated attacks on Israel since the start of the Iran war.

Hezbollah’s operation, dubbed “Operation Trampled Wheat” – a reference to a Quranic verse about reducing enemies to trampled wheat – was a sharp escalation by the group, which is believed to have been hammered by daily Israeli airstrikes for nearly two years.

As the war on Iran, which Israel and the United States launched two weeks ago, continued to consume the Middle East and beyond, Lebanon was quickly becoming the area of ​​most intense conflict in the region.

Israeli warplanes began bombing Lebanon immediately after Hezbollah’s attacks. Beirut’s skies were painted red and windows around the capital shook as Israel launched its most powerful ever bombardment of the southern suburbs in this round of fighting. Videos showed collapsed buildings in southern Lebanon and smoke-choked streets lit by roaring flames.

Israel also launched an attack early on Thursday on the coastal road in the Ramlet al-Baida neighborhood in central Beirut, where many displaced families have been sleepless for the past week. The attack hit the densely packed area, where videos showed at least two men lying dead on the seaside promenade. Local Lebanese media reported that many more people were killed.

Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 17 people were injured in attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs, but more casualties were expected in other attacks across the country.

An Israeli military spokesman in southern Lebanon said Hezbollah hit missile launchers. They warned residents that Hezbollah would “soon take action with overwhelming force” and that residents should immediately move away from affected areas; They repeated the displacement orders issued for large parts of the country earlier last week.

Israeli attacks killed at least 634 people and injured 1,586 in less than 10 days of conflict. More than 816,700 families have registered with the Lebanese state as displaced, but many more are expected to be displaced due to Israeli airstrikes and displacement orders.

The tensions on Wednesday night came as Israeli officials signaled that their campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon could be expanded. Israel’s security cabinet met Wednesday night to discuss Lebanon, where officials are trying to stop the group’s ability to launch rockets into Israeli territory.

On Wednesday, Israeli army commander Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir ordered reinforcements to the northern border with Lebanon, deploying the Golani Brigade north from Gaza. The Golani Brigade specialized in ground assault operations, and analysts said the redeployment of the force could signal a larger ground invasion into Lebanon. Hezbollah is reportedly preparing for a full-scale Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah fighters are fighting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, particularly at strategic points such as the hills around al-Khiam in the eastern part of the country. Small units of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force operate autonomously to ambush Israeli troops conducting raids in and out of southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has reportedly spent the year and a half since the ceasefire in November 2024 with Israel rebuilding its capabilities and reconsolidating its organization. Israel had killed most of the group’s senior leaders and killed or neutralized thousands of its fighters during the 13-month war; but exact numbers are unknown.

As fighting continues in southern Lebanon, Israeli shelling has increased steadily over the past 10 days. Early on Wednesday morning, Israel attacked an apartment building in central Beirut, wounding four people. For the second time in a week, Israel targeted the depths of the capital, leaving residents shaken and unsure of where they were safe.

The Lebanese government called on Hezbollah to stop firing on Israel and insisted that the state maintain a monopoly on violence in the country. However, its army, which does not have sufficient personnel and equipment, has so far been unable to fight directly against the powerful armed group. The government also fears inciting civil conflict in Lebanon, which has a long, painful history of sectarian division and violence.

The Lebanese government, with the help of the French, appealed to the international community for a ceasefire in Lebanon and promised to stop Hezbollah’s activities in the country, while calling for negotiations with Israel. However, Israel and the United States are skeptical that the Lebanese government can disarm Hezbollah; The first is apparently determined to take over the group itself.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon on Wednesday cast doubt on the Lebanese government’s efforts to combat Hezbollah.

“If Hezbollah is being disbanded, what is the evidence? What are the operations against the launch facilities? Where are those whose weapons were confiscated? Where is your army?” said Danon.