The conflict between Israel and the radical organization Hezbollah in Lebanon continues to escalate. On Wednesday, earlier in the day, Israel intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Hezbollah for the first time towards central Israel near the capital, Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah confirmed the launch of a “Qader 1” ballistic missile towards Israel, claiming that their target was the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.
This is the most intense attack by Hezbollah on Israel to date, and it marks the first time that projectiles launched from Lebanon have reached central Israel, signaling a further escalation in the conflict between the two sides.
Hezbollah also accused Mossad of recent assassination attempts on senior Hezbollah leaders, claiming they coordinated and detonated thousands of communication devices held by operatives of the radical organization.
The missile strike occurred hours after the Israeli Defense Forces attacked a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
The Israeli military stated that the surface-to-surface missile triggered air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and central Israel, but it was intercepted by the air defense system, with no reports of casualties or property damage. The Israeli military subsequently stated that they targeted the missile launch site in southern Lebanon.
Shortly after, the Israeli Defense Forces resumed strikes on southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah’s weapons depots and other military locations.
This week, the Israeli military launched its most extensive airstrikes targeting Hezbollah leaders since the war began, hitting hundreds of targets within Lebanon.
On Tuesday, an attack in Beirut resulted in the death of Ibrahim Qubaisi, a senior Hezbollah commander. Qubaisi was in charge of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket units.
Since the conflict erupted between Israel and Hezbollah during the Gaza war, several key figures of Hezbollah have been killed in Israeli attacks, with Qubaisi being one of them.
The Israeli military stated that its air force conducted a “large-scale attack” on Hezbollah targets on Tuesday, including weapons storage facilities and dozens of launchers aimed towards Israeli territory.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the attacks have weakened Hezbollah’s capabilities and will continue.
In response to the escalating military conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed his trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly by one day. The Prime Minister’s Office announced that Netanyahu would hold consultations with security officials to discuss actions in Lebanon.
(This article referenced relevant reports from Reuters and AP)