Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah operatives west of the Lebanese city of Baalbek on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least two members of the militant group, according to Lebanese sources. These strikes represent Israel’s deepest penetration into Lebanese territory since the outbreak of hostilities with Hezbollah last October.
While the Israeli military confirmed the strikes, it refrained from providing specific details, and Hezbollah has yet to issue a response.
The airstrikes struck an area approximately 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Baalbek, renowned for its ancient ruins and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Situated in the Bekaa Valley region near the Syrian border, this area serves as a significant stronghold for the Shi’ite organization Hezbollah.
Sources report that Israel conducted two simultaneous strikes, as depicted by images broadcasted by Lebanese television station Al-Jadeed, which showed billowing smoke rising from the targeted area.
Hezbollah has intensified attacks on Israeli positions along the Lebanese-Israeli border since the October 7 assault on Israel by its Palestinian ally Hamas. Hezbollah claims these actions aim to bolster Palestinians facing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier on Monday, Hezbollah announced the downing of an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over Lebanese airspace using a surface-to-air missile, marking the second time such an unmanned aerial vehicle has been targeted.
The Israeli military countered Hezbollah’s claim, stating that two missile launches were directed at an Israeli Air Force UAV operating over Lebanon. Although the first missile was intercepted by Israel’s “David’s Sling” Aerial Defense System, the drone reportedly crashed inside Lebanese territory following a second launch.
The escalation in hostilities, primarily concentrated along the Lebanese-Israeli border, intensified last week when Israel launched strikes south of the coastal city of Sidon, marking the most significant violence between Israel and Hezbollah since the 2006 war.
Since October, Israeli strikes have claimed the lives of approximately 50 Lebanese civilians and 200 Hezbollah combatants, while attacks from Lebanon into Israel have resulted in the deaths of a dozen Israeli soldiers and five civilians, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.