Hezbollah launches drone strike on Israeli airbase following attack on Iran

The strikes come in response to the October 1 missile attack during which Iran fired approximately 200 ballistic missiles at Israel.

Just hours after Israel conducted air strikes on military facilities in Iran, Hezbollah launched a volley of around 80 projectiles at Israeli bases on Saturday, October 26, the Israeli army said.

In a series of statements, Hezbollah claimed “rocket salvoes” on five residential areas in northern Israel, including the outskirts of Krayot near Haifa.

Earlier today, Israel carried out a series of airstrikes targeting military installations in Iran and issued a warning of potential retaliation. The Israeli government stated it would be compelled to respond and has identified additional targets for future strikes if necessary.

The strikes come in response to the October 1 missile attack during which Iran fired approximately 200 ballistic missiles at Israel.

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Separately, Israeli ground forces have initiated an incursion into Lebanon. The strike coincided with the return of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken from a Middle East tour where he urged Israel to avoid escalating the conflict and exclude nuclear facilities in any Iranian operation.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett acknowledged Israel’s targeted strikes on Iranian military targets, referring further inquiries to the Israeli government.

Hezbollah targeted several Israeli-controlled sites

On October 24, Hezbollah announced it bombarded Israeli troops 48 times, which is the highest number since October 8. The group stated that it fired rockets and artillery at 31 groups of Israeli soldiers at the border between the two countries in northern Israel and southern Lebanon.

Additionally, the group asserted that it targeted seven Merkava tanks of Israel, resulting in several fatalities among Israeli troops. The group also targeted three Israeli settlements around Safed and shelled five sites among which an artillery bunker in northern Israel. Hezbollah further claimed that it forced an Israeli drone out of Lebanese airspace by targeting it with a surface-to-air missile.

The IDF acknowledged its losses stating that five reserve soldiers died during clashes with Hezbollah on Thursday, October 23 night while 19 other soldiers sustained severe injuries. IDF also said that soldiers from various brigades, including special forces units, were killed while engaged in combat with Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon.

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Escalating violence

This escalation in hostilities comes at a time when Israel has launched a ground offensive in Lebanon and conducting “military operations” against Hezbollah and other groups in the course of a conflict which has witnessed a sharp rise in violence. The IDF has been directly involved in attacks against military assets in Lebanon and Gaza, which further intensifies the humanitarian crisis. Lebanon has reportedly experienced a high level of disruption, including one-third of its healthcare facilities shutting down due to continued bombardments.

According to the Lebanese health authorities reports over 2,600 people have been killed and more than 12,200 injured in Israeli airstrikes since the conflict escalated. On the other side, the Israeli army is continuously launching bombardments on refugee camps, healthcare facilities and schools in Gaza, causing more casualties among civilians including children and women.