Israel Strikes Kill 31 In Lebanon As Tensions Soar After Hezbollah Rocket Fire
News Updated: 02 March 2026 10:27 EAT
Israel war plane used in air strikes
At least 31 people have been killed and 149 others wounded following a wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, marking one of the deadliest escalations along the border in recent months.
The strikes targeted multiple مناطق in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, including Dahiyeh, an area widely regarded as a stronghold of Hezbollah.
Lebanese authorities did not immediately clarify how many of those killed were civilians or fighters, but emergency services reported extensive damage to residential buildings and infrastructure in the affected المناطق.
The Israeli military said the operation was launched in response to a barrage of rockets and drones fired into northern Israel earlier in the day, blaming Hezbollah for initiating the cross-border assault.
Hezbollah said its rocket fire was carried out in retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei in joint strikes conducted by Israel and the United States on Iranian territory.
Israeli officials warned that military operations would intensify if rocket attacks from Lebanon continue, signaling the possibility of a sustained and far more destructive campaign.
Residents in border communities on both sides were advised to seek shelter, while Israeli authorities issued evacuation notices for several towns near the frontier amid fears of further escalation.
Lebanon’s political leadership called for restraint and stressed that the country should not be drawn deeper into a widening regional confrontation, as diplomatic channels scrambled to prevent further deterioration.
Security analysts noted that the latest exchange threatens to unravel a fragile truce that had largely contained hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah since late 2024.
The renewed fighting comes against the backdrop of broader regional tensions following coordinated strikes on Iranian targets, raising concerns of a multi-front conflict involving allied armed groups.
Humanitarian organizations warned that continued air raids and rocket fire could displace thousands of civilians, particularly in densely populated المناطق already grappling with economic hardship.
Regional observers say the scale of casualties underscores the volatility of the Israel-Lebanon frontier, where even limited exchanges have historically risked spiraling into full-scale confrontation.
With both sides trading threats and military activity intensifying, international calls for de-escalation are mounting, though prospects for an immediate ceasefire remain uncertain.
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FELIX MAKONA
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