Heightened tensions in the Middle East escalate as Israel conducts airstrikes on southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah retaliates by launching rockets into Israeli territory.

In response to the killing of commander Fuad Shukrat at the end of July, Hezbollah claims that it has successfully concluded the first stage of its assault on Israel by launching “a significant quantity of missiles.”

On Sunday, the Lebanese organization declared that it had launched over 320 Katyusha rockets at eleven Israeli military bases and barracks such as Meron base and four locations in Golan Heights. This reaction was highly anticipated for weeks due to Israel’s targeted assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas senior commanders, leading to growing concerns about regional escalation.

Hezbollah stated that it aimed at military bases with the intention of making way for drones to reach their desired objectives in Israel. They confirmed, “The planned passage of these drones has been successful.”

On Sunday, Israel carried out a series of forceful air strikes in southern Lebanon as a preemptive measure upon detecting Hezbollah’s preparations to attack northern Israel.

Since Israel’s offensive against Gaza in October, there has been a consistent exchange of retaliatory attacks between Hezbollah and Israel along the border. However, this recent incident represents a notable increase in aggression.

Reporting from Beirut, Zeina Khodr of Al Jazeera stated that the majority of Israeli attacks on Lebanon occurred within a 5-kilometer range along the 12-kilometer border.

In recent months, the Israeli army has repeatedly targeted and evacuated civilians from the border area that is now considered a military zone.

On Sunday morning, the Security Council will gather for a meeting called by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The defence minister has designated a period of 48 hours as a “special situation.”

Early in the morning, Ben Gurion airport of Israel was shut down and reports surfaced regarding injuries in northern Israel. Additionally, public bomb shelters were made available across Israeli cities.

Following Israel’s preemptive strikes in Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared a 48-hour state of emergency across the country from Sunday at 06:00 am (0300 GMT).

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Khodr reported that there are rumors about the cessation of the first round of attacks in southern Lebanon. Thus, we anticipate correspondence from Israeli military authorities to determine if they intend to conduct additional assaults. Any such action could potentially incite Hezbollah’s reaction and cause this conflict to escalate further.

Despite being mostly contained, this conflict has remained a significant threat and could potentially expand beyond control.

Currently, the Israeli military has reported that its main focus is on launching attacks against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. However, they have declared their willingness to target any location where a risk presents itself.

The international worriment regarding the possibility of Israel’s war transmuting into a full-scale regional turmoil has drastically intensified following the assassination last month of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and Shukr in Beirut- with both incidents being imputed to Israel.

According to the director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, Sami Nader, Israel’s attacks have the ability to ignite a full-scale war involving all neighboring countries.

According to him, although the scope and intensity of operations have substantially increased, both Hezbollah and Israel are endeavoring to dodge a complete war.

According to him, Israel is fatigued from its battle against Gaza while the Lebanese organization desires to avoid a conflict akin to the 2006 event due to Lebanon’s severe financial predicament.

On Sunday, the US declared its commitment to continue supporting Israel’s right to self-defense.

According to a statement from US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett, senior officials in the United States have been maintaining constant communication with their Israeli counterparts under the instruction of President Joe Biden.

As Egypt held a new round of talks to put an end to the 11-month-long Israel-Gaza conflict on Sunday, there was another attack. Hezbollah has declared that it would cease fighting in case of a ceasefire agreement.

According to Nader, even though there are no indications of a diplomatic resolution in progress, “Israel’s aim is to modify the rules of engagement” so that all Israelis who were evacuated from northern Israel can come back.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies