Israeli military spokesperson says Hezbollah weapons depots close to Sidon have been focused.
Israeli forces have carried out no less than two air strikes on the coastal city of Ghaziyeh in southern Lebanon, in line with the Israeli navy and Lebanese state media.
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging near-daily hearth throughout the border since Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to a Hamas-led assault on October 7.
“Israeli warplanes carried out … strikes on the town of Ghaziyeh,” the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Monday, saying {that a} automobile was focused and ambulances rushed to the scene, with out offering additional particulars. It was not instantly clear if there have been casualties.
The city is about 5km (3 miles) away from the southern port metropolis of Sidon, and about 60km (37 miles) north of the border with Israel.
Avichay Adraea, an Israeli military spokesman, stated on Monday: “We targeted Hezbollah weapons depots near Sidon in response to the explosion of an enemy craft whose wreckage we found near the Tiberias area this afternoon. We will continue to act forcefully in response to Hezbollah attacks.”
There was no rapid remark from Hezbollah.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, stated {that a} manufacturing facility was focused within the strikes.
“The owner of the factory said the targeted facility manufactured electrical generators,” she stated. She added that strikes hitting deeper inside Lebanon have gotten extra frequent.
The strikes got here shortly after the Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed duty for 2 assaults on Israeli posts within the border space of Shebaa Farms.
Khodr stated “this tit-for-tat exchange of fire” appeared more likely to proceed.
“Hezbollah has made it clear that it will not halt the fighting until Israel’s aggression on Gaza ends,” Khodr stated. “This was a navy goal and Hezbollah will reply as such. Both sides have been making an attempt to restrict their assaults to navy targets.
“It’s very much a controlled escalation; yes, civilians have been killed, but we’re still steps away from a comprehensive war. No doubt, this is an escalation. Many in Lebanon fear that this conflict is a slippery slope and it could get out of hand.”
The Israeli navy final week stated it killed a Hezbollah commander, his deputy and one other fighter in a strike within the south Lebanon metropolis of Nabatieh.
On Friday, Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah vowed that Israel would pay “with blood” for civilians it killed in Lebanon.
He warned that the group possesses missiles that would attain wherever in Israel.
Hezbollah has reported round 200 of its fighters have been killed for the reason that cross-border escalation began.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/19/israeli-air-strikes-target-ghaziyeh-in-southern-lebanon?traffic_source=rss
