Hezbollah launches rocket attacks ahead of US diplomatic visit
Lebanese armed group, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at key Israeli bases near Tel Aviv and Haifa early Tuesday morning.
Following a heavy night of Israeli strikes on Lebanon’s south and southern suburbs of Beirut, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing rockets at three key Israeli bases. The targets included the Glilot base, used by Unit 8200 of Israel’s military intelligence, and the Nirit area in Tel Aviv’s suburbs. Additionally, rockets were launched at a naval base outside the port city of Haifa.
Israeli authorities reported the activation of air sirens in areas southeast of Tel Aviv due to incoming projectiles. While one projectile crossed from Lebanon and fell in an open area, Israel’s multi-layered air defenses successfully intercepted the vast majority of missiles and drones fired since the Gaza war began. Reports say no casualties were reported.
The latest escalation comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Israel to launch another push for an elusive ceasefire in the year-long Gaza war.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to the region marks his 11th attempt to broker peace since the start of the Gaza war. His visit comes as Israel intensifies its military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The humanitarian toll continues to mount, with Gaza health authorities reporting over 42,603 Palestinian fatalities and an estimated 10,000 more feared buried under rubble.
Despite numerous diplomatic efforts, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the Gaza war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, continues to rage on.
The past year has seen a series of exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah, primarily across Lebanon’s southern border. However, the situation has dramatically intensified in recent weeks.
