Tensions escalate as Hezbollah unleashes drone strikes on Israel, promises more retaliation

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has executed a series of drone and rocket attacks targeting northern Israel on Tuesday, signaling a significant shift in the ongoing conflict.

The group warned that this initial strike is merely a precursor to a much-anticipated retaliation for the recent assassination of its top commander, Fuad Shukr.

Hezbollah reported that it deployed a swarm of attack drones aimed at two military installations near Acre, as well as targeting an Israeli military vehicle at a separate location.

The Israeli military confirmed the incursion, noting that several hostile drones were detected crossing the Lebanese border, with one successfully intercepted. The attacks resulted in injuries to multiple civilians in the vicinity south of Nahariya, with local media capturing footage of the aftermath at an impact site near a bus stop on a busy roadway.

In response to the escalating situation, sirens were activated around Acre, although initial reports confirmed the alarms were a false alarm. In retaliation, the Israeli air force conducted strikes on two Hezbollah facilities located in southern Lebanon, further intensifying the cycle of violence.

As both sides exchange fire, fears are mounting that the Middle East may be on the brink of a full-scale war. Hezbollah’s vow to avenge Shukr’s death, coupled with Iran’s promise to retaliate for the recent assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran, has created a dangerous atmosphere of uncertainty and potential conflict.

A source within Hezbollah revealed to Reuters that the group’s response to Shukr’s assassination has not yet been fully executed, hinting at further actions to come.

The day took a deadly turn earlier when four individuals were killed in an airstrike on a home in Mayfadoun, a Lebanese town located approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Israeli border. Medical personnel and local security sources indicated that the victims were likely Hezbollah fighters, although the organization has yet to issue its customary death notices.

For nearly ten months, Hezbollah and the Israeli military have engaged in a series of tit-for-tat strikes along the border, coinciding with the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The recent killing of Shukr, who held the position of Hezbollah’s senior military commander, has heightened tensions. In a statement, Hezbollah’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, emphasized the need for a “studied” response to the attack, with expectations that he will elaborate on the group’s strategy during a memorial service for Shukr later today.