On Sunday, a drone attack carried out by Hezbollah targeted an Israeli army base in central Israel, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers and injuries to seven others, according to the Israeli military.
The incident occurred near Binyamina and represents the most lethal assault from the Lebanon-based militant group since Israel initiated a ground offensive in Lebanon nearly two weeks prior.
Hezbollah has taken responsibility for the attack, framing it as a response to an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last Thursday that claimed 22 lives. In its statement, the group revealed that the strike was aimed at Israel’s elite Golani brigade and involved a series of missile launches designed to breach Israeli air defense systems, followed by drone strikes.
Reports from Israel’s national rescue service indicate that a total of 61 individuals were injured in this incident, a notably high figure given the nation’s advanced air defense capabilities.
The ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel have escalated in intensity, with daily exchanges of fire becoming increasingly common and casualties rising on both sides. Concurrently, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have resulted in at least 20 Palestinian deaths, according to local health officials.
These airstrikes are part of Israel’s broader military strategy aimed at weakening Hezbollah and other militant factions, while also facilitating the safe return of displaced Israelis to areas near the northern border.
Recent reports indicate that at least 20 individuals, including children, lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza’s Nuseirat on Sunday night. The school was sheltering Palestinians who had been displaced by the ongoing conflict.
In a separate incident early Monday, explosions near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah led to three fatalities and approximately 50 injuries. Residents rushed those hurt into the hospital following the fire that broke out after the blasts.
Additionally, a Hezbollah strike on Israel coincided with the U.S. announcement of a new air defense system to be deployed to Israel, accompanied by necessary troop reinforcements.
Israel is currently engaged in simultaneous conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, with expectations of retaliatory strikes against Iran following a recent missile attack. Iran has vowed to respond to any Israeli aggression.
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, condemned an incident on Sunday in which Israeli tanks breached a peacekeeper position, damaging a gate and firing smoke rounds that caused skin irritation among personnel. UNIFIL characterized the incident as a violation of international law amid escalating global criticism of Israeli actions against U.N. forces, which have resulted in injuries to five peacekeepers.
The U.N. expressed concern, warning that such actions might amount to war crimes. Israel’s military contends that Hezbollah operates near U.N. forces but has not provided supporting evidence.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the evacuation of U.N. peacekeepers, accusing them of acting as “human shields” for Hezbollah, although Israel has expressed regret for any harm caused and promised to investigate the injuries sustained by peacekeepers.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes resulted in the destruction of a historic market in Nabatiyeh, claiming one life and injuring four. The Israeli military stated that the attack was directed at Hezbollah.
During the chaos, Lebanese Red Cross paramedics searching for casualties following an airstrike were injured by a subsequent strike, which had been coordinated with U.N. peacekeepers.
In Gaza, Israeli air and ground operations continue in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp, where militants are believed to have regrouped. Hospitals in northern Gaza have received evacuation orders, though no specific timeline has been announced. The area has faced heavy bombardment, with food supplies cut off since early October.
Since the war began following a surprise attack by Hamas-led militants a year ago, over 42,000 Palestinians have been reported killed, with women and children accounting for more than half of those casualties. Israel claims to have killed more than 17,000 militants, although no evidence has been provided.
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