The Cradle / August 20, 2024
Israeli jets carried out an overnight bombing in eastern Lebanon as tensions continue to flare between the two nations.
Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets at Israeli bases in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights on 20 August in response to heavy airstrikes that hit eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa region hours earlier.
“In response to the Israeli enemy’s aggression that targeted the Bekaa region, the Islamic Resistance fighters bombed … the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks and the headquarters of the Artillery Regiment and Armored Brigade of the 210th Division in the Yarden barracks, with intensive barrages of rockets,” Hezbollah said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Israeli army said around 55 rockets were fired at the Galilee and Golan Heights on 20 August, claiming some were intercepted and others hit open areas.
According to Al Mayadeen, Hezbollah fired over 100 rockets during the operation.
“Barrages were also fired at settlements that had not been evacuated, some were intercepted – and fires broke out in the area,” the Hebrew news site Ynet reported.
The Hezbollah rocket attack came the morning after violent Israeli airstrikes targeting Al-Safri, Tamnin al-Tahta, and Sareyn in the Bekaa Valley. Massive explosions were seen in videos circulating on social media.
Nine people were injured in the Israeli attack, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).
Israel said the attack targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot.
The strikes on eastern Lebanon came hours after an Israeli soldier was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack on the Yara and the Sanat Jin base.
The Lebanese resistance carried out several other operations on Monday, including thwarting an Israeli army attempt to infiltrate southern Lebanon.
Israel’s allies have been scrambling to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from retaliating to the Israeli attacks on their capitals last month. The assassination of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut on 30 July killed several civilians, including children.
Washington has expressed hope that reaching an agreement to end the war in Gaza could stymie an incoming response and avoid a larger-scale regional war. Ceasefire talks – which took place in Qatar last week – ended without any progress, as Hamas opted out of this latest round due to constant obstruction and procrastination from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Talks are expected to resume on Wednesday.
Hezbollah has repeatedly vowed that it will not stop operations until the war in Gaza ends and has promised a harsh retaliation to Shukr’s assassination in the Lebanese capital.
