BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, September 19, 2024 – Israeli warplanes launched heavy airstrikes on southern Lebanon late Thursday, marking the most intense attacks in nearly a year and escalating tensions with Hezbollah. The United States and the United Kingdom urged restraint, pushing for an immediate ceasefire between the two sides.
The White House described a diplomatic solution as urgent, with spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre expressing concerns over potential escalation. Britain echoed these calls, emphasizing the need for an immediate ceasefire.
The strikes followed attacks earlier in the week, which Hezbollah and Lebanese officials attributed to Israel. Those attacks targeted Hezbollah’s communication devices, killing 37 people and injuring about 3,000 across Lebanon. Israel’s military responded by targeting multiple-rocket-launcher sites in southern Lebanon that were reportedly poised to strike Israel.
Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported over 52 strikes across southern Lebanon after 9 p.m. (1800 GMT), the heaviest since the conflict began last October. Israeli forces said their strikes targeted about 100 rocket launchers and other positions in southern Lebanon.
In a televised address, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah condemned the attacks on the communication devices, describing them as a violation of international norms and suggesting they could be seen as war crimes. Israel has not directly commented on the detonations, but security sources suggest that the incidents were likely carried out by Mossad.
Lebanon’s mission to the United Nations accused Israel of detonating the devices remotely and called on the UN Security Council to take action. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the Council to intervene and halt what he described as Israel’s “aggression” and “technological war.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to continue military operations against Hezbollah. “As the conflict enters a new phase, Hezbollah will face increasing consequences,” Gallant said. Two Israeli soldiers were reported killed in combat on Thursday.
Since the initial cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah have been frequent, displacing tens of thousands on both sides of the border. Despite the constant conflict, neither side has allowed the fighting to escalate into a full-scale war.
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah indicated that any Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon would be met with fierce resistance. He warned that Israel would face severe repercussions if it continued its military actions, with threats of a broader conflict involving Iran-backed militant groups in the region.
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