The escalation of violence that has hit the Medium East in recent days has once again put the delicate security balance in the region under the spotlight. The confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah, after the targeted assassinations of the leaders of the terrorist movement and the explosion of pagers and walkie talkies, is coming to a head. In Israel too. Hezbollah last night launched a chain of missile attacks against Israeli targets.
The Lebanese group claimed responsibility for sending a wave of over 100 rockets towards Israeli military targetsincluding sites significant to the production military. This action was justified as a response to recent Israeli operations targeting communications networks in Lebanon, with direct effects on civilians. The impact of these attacks on Israeli soil was not negligible, with reports of damage to civilian structures, burning cars and a count of at least three civilian injuries. Israel’s response to these events was the closure of educational institutions in key areas such as the Golan Heights, Galilee, Haifa Bay and up to the Beit Shean Valley, as well as restrictions on public gatherings both indoors and outdoors. The wave of rockets occurred in two tranches, with around twenty rockets being fired before 6 a.m. local time. “The Islamic resistance struck the Ramat David air base with dozens of Fadi-1 and Fadi-2 missiles in response to the repeated attacks that hit various regions of Lebanon and which resulted in the deaths of many civilians,” Hezbollah wrote in a statement. Another 85 left after 6am. He also claims to have “bombed the military industrial complexes of Rafael”.
Israel’s reaction to the attacks was promise a firm responsealthough no concrete details have been provided at this time on the retaliatory measures envisaged. Tensions on the ground remain high and the security outlook for the region appears uncertain, with potential developments that could affect not only those directly involved but also the broader geopolitical context. Also during the night, Israel had launched air raids in southern Lebanon precisely to try to reduce or limit Hezbollah’s preparations for rocket launches. Over 290 targets were reportedly hit. Israel also claims to have shot down mountains of missiles coming from Lebanon.
Further complicating the scenario is the commitment of a coalition of pro-Iranian Iraqi armed groupswhich said it had conducted an attack against Israel using drones. This move underscores the presence of a united front against Israel in the region and signals an evolution in military strategies adopted, with an increasing use of advanced technologies such as drones for cross-border actions.
Meanwhile, yesterday the number of victims of the Israeli raid in Beirut was made public. According to the Lebanese Minister of Health, there were 31 victims, including two military commanders and 14 fighters. Among the dead are the head of the elite unit Radwan, Ibrahim Aqiland a senior commander Ahmed Wahbi. According to Haaretz, two other leaders of the unit died in the attack: Abu Yasser Attar and Al-Hajj Nineveh. During the entire period of fighting against Tel Aviv, the Party of God lost more than 502 militiamen.