By Matthew Mpoke Bigg, Euan Ward, Liam Stack and Aaron Boxerman
Israeli and Hezbollah forces reported they were engaged in intense fighting in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contemplated a military reaction to Iran for its missile attack on Israel that has increased regional tensions.
Hezbollah stated that its fighters had encountered Israeli soldiers in at least one Lebanese locale, Maroun al-Ras, situated about a mile from the evacuated Israeli settlement of Avivim, which the militant group claimed to have targeted with rocket fire.
According to Israel, eight of its soldiers perished in the initial day and a half of conflict in Lebanon, a notably high casualty rate compared to the routine losses experienced in the ongoing war in Gaza. The Israeli military provided no specifics regarding the circumstances of the soldiers’ deaths but had earlier indicated they were engaged in close-quarters combat.
The intensifying clashes in Lebanon occurred as the Middle East remained on edge following Iran’s missile attack on Israel on Tuesday. Although around 200 missiles were predominantly intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems with assistance from the United States and other allies, Netanyahu remarked that Iran, a persistent foe, had “committed a significant error” and would “face the consequences.”
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden stated he would not endorse an Israeli assault on Iranian nuclear facilities, expressing to reporters that he and other leaders from the Group of 7 industrialized nations recognized Israel’s right to respond to Iran’s missile launch Tuesday, but felt that the response should remain proportional. He mentioned that G7 leaders had concurred to impose further sanctions on Iran.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared that the hour-long missile assault on Tuesday was in retaliation for the recent killings of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, another proxy engaged in combat against Israel in Gaza. General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s highest military authority, noted that the missiles were directed at three military installations and the headquarters of the Mossad intelligence agency.
Video confirmed by The New York Times captured numerous missiles detonating in various locations across Israel on Tuesday, including approximately a quarter-mile away from the Mossad headquarters. The Israeli military reported that an air force base experienced “a few hits,” but critical infrastructure was largely unaffected. Images displayed damage in other areas, including a school in southern Israel and structures in Tel Aviv.
The barrage of missiles from Iran followed the previous day’s ground invasion by Israeli forces into parts of southern Lebanon, which the military stated was intended to diminish Hezbollah’s capability to launch attacks on Israel. Strikes by Israel in southern Lebanon and other regions resulted in 55 fatalities and over 150 injuries on Tuesday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Here are some additional details:
— Shooting incident in Tel Aviv: Israeli authorities reported that at least seven individuals lost their lives in Tel Aviv when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a light rail train on Tuesday. The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, took responsibility for the shooting on Wednesday, noting that the assailants had attacked a soldier and seized his firearm for the assault.
— Casualties in the West Bank: There were no reports of Israeli casualties from the Iranian missile strike. However, one Palestinian laborer from Gaza was killed by falling debris in the occupied West Bank.
— Entry ban for Guterres: Israel has denied entry to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, as stated by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, criticizing him for not condemning Iran’s latest missile offensive strongly enough. Guterres spoke at an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday convened to address Iran’s strikes and how to avert a broader conflict.
— Support from allies: President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday that U.S. military forces had “actively assisted” in Israel’s defense efforts. France and Britain also reported their involvement.
— Advanced missiles: Debris photos and videos suggested that Iran employed some of its most sophisticated weaponry to target Israel on Tuesday night. Experts indicated that the weapons may include Fattah missiles, which Iran has not previously utilized.
— Strike in Syria: An Israeli air raid targeting a residential structure in Damascus, the Syrian capital, resulted in three deaths, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and state media. This attack followed reports that Israeli strikes in the city on the previous day had killed one of its TV presenters, Safaa Ahmed, along with two other civilians.
