Title: Hezbollah Launches Drone Attack on Israeli Army Positions, Escalating Violence at Israeli-Lebanese Border
Date: November 2, 2023
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Byline: [Author Name]
Lebanon’s Hezbollah announced on Thursday that it had carried out multiple strikes on Israeli army positions, including its first-ever attack using explosive drones. In response, Israel launched air strikes on southern Lebanon, further escalating the violence at the Israeli-Lebanese border.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces since the start of the war between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel on October 7. This recent escalation marks the deadliest confrontation at the border since the 2006 war.
Hezbollah stated that its fighters launched 19 simultaneous strikes on Israeli army positions in Israel, utilizing guided missiles, artillery, and other weapons. The militant group claimed that two drones carrying explosives targeted an Israeli army command position in the disputed Shebaa Farms area near the border.
In retaliation, the Israeli army conducted air strikes on Hezbollah targets and fired tank and artillery rounds in response to launches from Lebanon towards Israel. The intensity of the shelling reportedly exceeded previous days and affected a wider area.
The mayor of Khiyam, a town near the border, reported that Israeli shelling caused slight injuries to one civilian and resulted in a fire that required local residents’ assistance to put out. Lebanon’s National News Agency also reported Israeli shells hitting various areas in the south along the border.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is expected to deliver his first speech since the war began on Friday, indicating a potential intensification of hostilities. This recent attack comes after Hezbollah claimed to have used a surface-to-air missile against an Israeli drone in a first-time incident.
The disputed Shebaa Farms, which covers a 15-square-mile area, has been in Israeli control since the 1967 Middle East war. However, both Syria and Lebanon lay claim to the territory, further contributing to the tensions in the region.
The situation at the Israeli-Lebanese border remains highly volatile, and the international community is closely monitoring the developments. Further escalation could have severe consequences for the already fragile stability in the region.
Reporting by Laila Bassam, Riham Alkousaa, and Maya Gebeily in Beirut, and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alison Williams, Emelia Sithole-Matarise, and Cynthia Osterman.