Israel airstrikes hit Hezbollah in Lebanon, stokes fears of wider war

After weeks of increasing violence along the Israeli-Lebanese border, worries about an expanding conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group, have grown as a result of rising casualties on both sides and a verbal spat.

Two people were killed by Israeli strikes in south Lebanon on Monday, according to a first-responder organisation connected to the Amal Movement, which is allied with Hezbollah.

Several employees of the Israel Electric Company were injured by a Hezbollah missile attack on Sunday, and one of them passed away on Monday, according to the company.

Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been exchanging gunfire ever since Hamas, its Palestinian ally, attacked Israel on October 7.

The exchanges represent the deadliest border violence since a month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. Thus far, ten civilians and over seventy Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Lebanon, while seven troops and ten other people have died in Israel. Thousands more have escaped shelling on both sides.

Up until now, the majority of the violence has been contained within a small area on either side of the border.

As it works to destroy Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israel has stated that it does not want war on its northern front. However, sources with knowledge of Hezbollah’s strategy claim that the organization’s attacks are intended to divert Israel’s forces from full-scale combat.

The US has sent two aircraft carriers to the region in an attempt to dissuade Iran from becoming involved in the conflict, stating that it does not want it to spread throughout the region. However, Israel and Hezbollah’s increasing rhetoric has not decreased as a result.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, declared on Saturday that the group’s operations in Lebanon would “remain active” and that there had been “a quantitative improvement” in their tempo.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, forewarned Hezbollah on Monday not to expand its offensive.

“This is playing with fire. Fire will be answered with much stronger fire. They should not try us, because we have only shown a little of our strength,” he said in a statement.

Asked at a news conference on Saturday about what Israel’s red line was, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said: “If you hear that we have attacked Beirut, you will understand that Nasrallah has crossed that line.”

(With agency inputs)