Israeli Airstrikes Hit Lebanon, Two Killed Including a Child/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes on Lebanon Saturday after rockets were fired into northern Israel, marking the most intense exchange since a ceasefire with Hezbollah. The strikes killed two people, including a child, and wounded eight others in southern Lebanon. The escalation reignites fears of renewed conflict amid ongoing tensions in Gaza.
Israel-Lebanon Escalation: Quick Looks
- Israel retaliated against Lebanon after rockets were fired at Israeli towns
- Two killed, including a child, and eight wounded in southern Lebanon
- Hezbollah denied responsibility, calling the attack “primitive”
- Israel targeted Hezbollah sites including rocket launchers and a command center
- Ceasefire agreement from November 2024 now appears increasingly fragile
- UN peacekeepers urge restraint, warning of potential regional escalation
- Lebanon’s PM urged de-escalation but ordered southern military readiness
- Gaza also hit with intensified Israeli strikes amid stalled hostage negotiations
Israeli Airstrikes Hit Lebanon, Two Killed Including a Child
Deep Look
Israel Retaliates With Strikes on Lebanon After Rocket Fire, Killing Two Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border surged Saturday as Israeli forces launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes into southern Lebanon, killing at least two people—including a child—and wounding eight others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
The strikes came in response to early-morning rocket fire from southern Lebanon into northern Israel, the most significant cross-border flare-up since a ceasefire was reached in late 2024. Israel’s military said the rockets targeted the northern town of Metula but were intercepted before causing damage.
A Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, denied the group’s involvement, labeling the rocket attack “primitive.” Despite that denial, Israeli officials held Hezbollah responsible and swiftly retaliated.
According to the Israeli military, dozens of Hezbollah targets were struck, including multiple rocket launchers and a command center believed to be in active use by the militant group.
“Israel will not allow any harm to its citizens or sovereignty,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, adding that the Israel Defense Forces had been ordered to respond “forcefully.”
Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and several other nations, has been involved in near-daily skirmishes with Israeli forces since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023. The conflict escalated into a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah by September 2024, killing over 4,000 people in Lebanon and displacing tens of thousands on both sides of the border.
Under the terms of a ceasefire agreement brokered in November, Israeli troops were expected to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory by late January 2025. That deadline was extended to February 18, but Israeli forces remain in at least five contested areas, fueling continued friction.
Lebanon’s government has appealed to the United Nations to pressure Israel for a complete withdrawal and to respect Lebanese sovereignty.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam issued a statement Saturday calling for calm, urging Lebanon’s military to take “necessary measures” to maintain order in the south. “Lebanon does not want a return to war,” he added.
UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, expressed alarm over the violence, warning that escalation could have far-reaching consequences for the region.
“We urge all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the progress made,” the mission said.
Gaza Conflict Intensifies
The cross-border violence came as Israeli military operations ramped up in the Gaza Strip, where strikes on Friday night killed at least nine people, including three children, according to Gaza’s Al-Ahly Hospital.
The Israeli army said it was intensifying operations in response to Hamas’ continued holding of 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Warnings were issued on social media urging Palestinians to evacuate several neighborhoods near Gaza City ahead of new offensives.
Among the most controversial targets was Gaza’s only specialized cancer hospital—the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital. Israeli officials accused Hamas of operating from the site, but Turkey condemned the strike, stating the hospital had also been used by Israeli troops as a temporary base.
Since the war resumed earlier this week, roughly 600 Palestinians have been reported killed. The Gaza Health Ministry claims the overall Palestinian death toll since the conflict began has exceeded 49,000, with over half being women and children. Israel estimates that around 20,000 Hamas militants have been killed, though it has not provided supporting evidence.
International Reactions
Global condemnation has mounted over the renewed violence. On Friday, the foreign ministers of the UK, France, and Germany issued a joint statement calling Israel’s recent strikes in Gaza “a dramatic step backward” and urged an immediate return to a ceasefire.
The conflict began in October 2023 when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. While most have since been released through negotiated deals, a number remain missing or in captivity. Israel has recovered the bodies of dozens and rescued eight living hostages in military operations.
As violence now threatens to engulf Lebanon once more, fears grow of a broader regional war if diplomatic efforts fail to halt the spiral.
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