Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a strong warning to Hezbollah, stating that if the Iran-backed group continues its attacks on Israel, Beirut and southern Lebanon will face the same fate as Gaza and Khan Younis. This comes after Israel reported that a guided missile attack from Lebanon resulted in the death of an Israeli civilian in the northern part of the country.
The Israeli military has confirmed that fighters from Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia group known for its support of Hamas, carried out an anti-tank attack in northern Israel. Hezbollah claims to have conducted a total of 11 attacks on Thursday, with one targeting an Israeli barracks in the village of Mattat, near the Lebanese border. In response to this attack, Israeli jets struck a Hezbollah command and control center.
During a visit to troops near the border, Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear that if Hezbollah chooses to escalate the situation into an all-out war, they will bring the same destructive consequences upon themselves as Gaza and Khan Younis have experienced. It is important to note that it is unclear whether Netanyahu’s statement was directly linked to the most recent Hezbollah strike.
The man killed in the attack was identified as a 60-year-old farmer, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan. The country’s ambulance service confirmed the casualty. Hezbollah has stated that Thursday’s assault was in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which began on October 7, initially sparked with a deadly attack by Hamas into southern Israel. In response, Israel launched a massive air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip. Since then, there have been frequent exchanges of fire between Israel and armed groups in southern Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah, across the Israel-Lebanon border, which is patrolled by the United Nations.
According to authorities in Gaza, more than 17,100 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the conflict, while Israel reports a death toll of approximately 1,150.
The situation remains tense as Israel and Hezbollah continue to engage in hostilities. The international community watches closely, concerned about the potential for further escalation in the region.
