Israel launches intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon, neutralises 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers

Israeli warplanes carried out their most intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon late on Thursday, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The strikes came amid international calls for restraint, with the White House emphasising the urgency of a diplomatic solution, and the UK calling for an immediate ceasefire between the two sides. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre expressed concerns over a potential escalation of violence.

The strikes followed earlier attacks attributed to Israel by Lebanon and Hezbollah, which targeted Hezbollah’s communications equipment, killing 37 people and injuring approximately 3,000 in Lebanon.

On Thursday evening, the Israeli military reported that its jets had struck hundreds of rocket launchers in southern Lebanon, which were poised to be fired at Israel. The bombardment, consisting of more than 52 strikes, took place over a two-hour period after 9 pm local time, according to Lebanon’s state news agency, NNA.

Lebanese security sources described the strikes as the heaviest since the conflict began in October, although no immediate casualties were reported.

Israel’s military vowed to continue its attacks on Hezbollah, confirming that throughout Thursday it had hit around 100 rocket launchers and other targets in southern Lebanon. In a televised address on Thursday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah condemned the earlier explosions targeting Hezbollah’s equipment, accusing Israel of crossing “all red lines.” He described the attacks as a violation of international law, adding that they could be classified as war crimes or a declaration of war.

While Israel has not directly commented on the explosions, which destroyed radios and pagers, Lebanese security sources believe the attacks were likely carried out by Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, which has a history of executing sophisticated operations abroad.

Lebanon's mission to the United Nations sent a letter to the UN Security Council, accusing Israel of planting explosives in the devices via electronic means before they arrived in Lebanon. This theory has circulated widely since the attacks. The Security Council, consisting of 15 members, is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the matter. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the Council to take a strong stance against what he called Israel's "aggression" and "technological war."

As Nasrallah's speech aired, Israeli jets flew over Beirut, causing loud sonic booms, a noise that has become a regular feature in recent months but now takes on greater significance as the risk of all-out war intensifies.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated late on Thursday that Israel would continue its military operations against Hezbollah. He acknowledged the growing risks but also highlighted potential opportunities in the ongoing conflict, suggesting that Hezbollah feels increasingly pressured by Israel’s actions.

Gallant warned that as the conflict progresses, Hezbollah would face escalating consequences, with Israel’s ultimate goal being the safe return of residents in northern Israel to their homes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting with key ministers to discuss the situation, as Channel 13 News reported. On Thursday, the Israeli military announced that two Israeli soldiers had been killed in combat in northern Israel.

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began after Hezbollah fired missiles into Israel following the cross-border attack by Hamas on 7 October, which triggered the Gaza war. Since then, both sides have engaged in continuous exchanges of fire, though neither has allowed the situation to spiral into a full-scale war. However, the ongoing hostilities have led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people from border areas on both sides.

Nasrallah stated that Hezbollah would welcome an Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon, viewing it as a “historic opportunity”. He argued that no escalation, assassination, or full-scale war would enable Israeli civilians to return to the border areas. Nasrallah’s stance was echoed by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami, who assured him that Israel would face a “crushing response” from the so-called “axis of resistance,” a coalition of Iran-aligned militant groups that includes Hezbollah, Hamas, Yemen’s Houthis, and armed factions in Iraq and Syria.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking in Paris, urged restraint, warning against actions by any party that could complicate efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. The attacks on Hezbollah’s communications systems have caused widespread fear across Lebanon, with people abandoning their electronic devices over concerns that they could be carrying hidden explosives.

Nasrallah claimed that thousands of pagers were targeted in simultaneous explosions, with some devices going off in hospitals, pharmacies, markets, and other public spaces filled with civilians, including women and children.

Israel maintains that its conflict with Hezbollah, like its war against Hamas in Gaza, is part of a larger regional struggle with Iran, which supports both groups as well as various armed movements in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Israel has also been accused of carrying out high-profile assassinations, including the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut in July.