Hezbollah says it targeted the Ashdod naval base in southern Israel “for the first time” and Tel Aviv, resulting in 500 air raid sirens sounding across north and central Israel on Sunday, sending up to four million Israelis to underground bunkers. The attack is in response to the powerful Israeli airstrike that killed at least 29 people in Beirut on Saturday.
Hezbollah also said it launched “a strategic and unprecedented operation” in southern Lebanon on Sunday, destroying six Israeli Merkava tanks and inflicting heavy casualties on Israeli forces.
Lebanese group said it also conducted an operation against a “military target” in Tel Aviv using advanced missiles and strike drones. Hezbollah is believed to have launched more than 400 rockets and drones, leading to the injury of 11 Israeli forces and some civilians.
The Lebanese health ministry said Israeli attacks on Saturday killed 84 people, bringing the total death toll to 3,754 since 8 October 2023. The ministry added that 15,626 people have been wounded during this period. On the Israeli side, authorities say at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians have been killed.
Meanwhile, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borell called for pressure to be exerted on both the Israeli government and Lebanon’s Hezbollah to accept a US ceasefire proposal.
Israel escalated air attacks on Lebanon on September 23, sending ground troops to southern Lebanon a week later.