An Israeli airstrike in northeastern Lebanon early Sunday has left at least three people wounded, as reported by a local official. The strike took place near the city of Baalbek, a known stronghold of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group, and is the latest in a series of attacks in the region in recent weeks.
The airstrike occurred shortly after midnight and resulted in injuries to three individuals, according to Baalbek's mayor, Bachir Khodr. The exact target of the strike remains unclear at this time.
Following the incident, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for using two drones carrying explosives to target an Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system in the northern Israeli town of Kfar Blum. In response, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes on a workshop used by Hezbollah for military activities.
Subsequently, around 50 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Israel, with some intercepted by Israeli defenses while others landed in open areas. This exchange of hostilities comes amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.
Notably, a previous pair of Israeli airstrikes near Baalbek on March 12 resulted in casualties, with at least two individuals killed and 20 others wounded. Since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, Hezbollah has been engaging in attacks on Israeli military positions along the border, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from Israel.
While Israel has primarily targeted border areas in its airstrikes, the recent incidents in the Baalbek region underscore the widening scope of the conflict. The frequency of attacks in the area has raised concerns about the potential for further escalation and the impact on civilian populations caught in the crossfire.
