Lebanon attacks: Tensions escalate in Middle East; US warplanes 'ready'
Tensions are mounting in the Middle East after a series of deadly attacks across Lebanon left at least 37 people dead and nearly 3,000 injured. The attacks, which occurred over the past two days, involved thousands of exploding pagers and walkie-talkies. Twenty-five members of the Iran-supported Hezbollah militant group were among those killed. Hezbollah—a key ally of the Palestinian group Hamas—has been involved in Gaza's conflict since October 7. The group holds Israel responsible for detonating devices across Lebanon.
Israeli army strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
According to Reuters, the Israeli Army announced on Thursday that it had hit hundreds of targets in Lebanon amid growing concerns of an all-out war in the region. The strikes reportedly destroyed "hundreds of rocket launcher barrels" that Israel claimed were aimed at them, along with "approximately 100 launchers and additional terrorist infrastructure sites." Hezbollah admitted to suffering an "unprecedented" setback in the attack, which was carried out using communication devices.
Hezbollah leader vows retaliation against Israel
In his first public address since the attacks, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared that the pager and walkie-talkie attacks against its members in Lebanon and Syria crossed "all red lines." He vowed that his group would retaliate and remain undeterred in its fight against Israel. Nasrallah described the attacks as a "massacre" and a potential "act of war," promising that Tel Aviv would face "tough retribution and just punishment."
Israel's defense minister's statement
Israel's Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has stated that his country's military actions against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah "will continue." "In the new phase of the war there are significant opportunities but also significant risks. Hezbollah feels persecuted. The sequence of our military actions will continue," Gallant said in a statement.
US maintains increased military presence in Middle East
The United States said Israel had informed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about a planned military operation in Lebanon before pagers exploded, but did not provide specifics, according to AP. Officials confirmed that the US had no advance notice of the second wave of attacks, which targeted walkie-talkie radios on Wednesday. Notably, the US has maintained around 40,000 military personnel, a dozen warships, and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons in the Middle East.
Lebanon attacks cause widespread fear and casualties
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said, "We're confident in the ability that we have there right now to protect our forces and should we need to come to the defense of Israel as well." Separately, the attacks on Hezbollah's communication equipment have instilled fear across Lebanon, leading many to abandon electronic devices for fear of carrying explosives. Among the casualties was the 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member who was killed when her father's pager exploded in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley.
