In response to the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza, the Lebanese Shia Islamist militant group Hezbollah has declared a new phase of military confrontation with Israel. Following increased missile strikes on Israel since the beginning of Israel’s military operation against Hamas last fall, Hezbollah has vowed to escalate its attacks with precision weapons.
Hezbollah also warned of fighting back against any Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanese villages, following Israeli airstrikes and a limited ground operation in the region. Recent clashes have resulted in casualties on both sides, with Hezbollah launching drone attacks on an Israeli army base and the IDF reporting losses of soldiers in firefights.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed to have eliminated thousands of terrorists, including Hezbollah’s top leaders. The ongoing conflict has caused a significant loss of life and raised tensions between the two adversaries.