Israel conducted pre-dawn airstrikes on eastern Lebanon on Sunday, targeting alleged Hezbollah infrastructure sites. The strikes took place following the downing of an Israeli drone by the group. Amid heightened regional tensions, both sides exchanged fire.
The Israeli military stated that fighter jets hit a military complex and three other Hezbollah infrastructure locations in Baalbek. The attack was a response to Hezbollah’s downing of an Israeli Hermes 900 drone in Lebanese airspace, claimed to be Iranian-backed.
This comes amid ongoing tensions between the two sides. Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire along Lebanon’s southern border since October 8, following an attack by Hamas on Israel, sparking further conflict in Gaza and escalating regional tensions.
Israeli shelling has killed around 270 Hezbollah fighters and around 50 civilians. In southern Lebanon some 90,000 people have also been displaced, while more than 96,000 Israelis have been displaced from the country’s northern border area.
The U.S. and other countries have sought a diplomatic resolution to the exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah said it would not halt fire before a ceasefire is implemented in Gaza.
Two security sources said the latest Israeli attack on Lebanon targeted a training camp belonging to Hezbollah in Janta village near the border with Syria and the town of Safri near Baalbek.
There were no reported casualties from the strikes, the sources said.