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3. Israel Signals Possible Expansion of Military Operations in Lebanon

Israel’s defense minister said Thursday that the Israeli army has been instructed to prepare for a possible expansion of military operations in Lebanon, as cross-border fighting with Hezbollah intensifies.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had directed the military to prepare broader operations aimed at restoring security to Israeli communities in the north.

“We have instructed the army to prepare to expand its operations in Lebanon in order to restore calm and security to the northern settlements,” Katz said in remarks cited by Israeli media.

Warning to the Lebanese Government

Katz also issued a warning to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, saying Israel may act independently if Beirut fails to prevent Hezbollah from launching attacks against Israel.

“If the Lebanese government is unable to control the territory and stop Hezbollah from threatening northern communities and firing toward Israel, we will take control of the area and act ourselves,” Katz said.

The warning reflects mounting Israeli frustration over continued rocket and drone attacks launched from Lebanese territory.

Strikes Across Lebanon

Israeli strikes continued across Lebanon on Thursday as the confrontation escalated.

An Israeli airstrike earlier in the day targeted a building in the village of Douris, west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, after the Israeli military issued a warning to residents that it intended to strike what it described as Hezbollah military infrastructure.

Another strike hit the southern town of Deir Antar, killing one person, according to local media reports.

Deadly Strike in Beirut

Earlier Thursday, Lebanon’s health ministry said at least seven people were killed and 21 others wounded in an Israeli strike on Ramlet al-Baida, a coastal district of Beirut.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the strike targeted a vehicle in the area while Israeli drones were flying at low altitude over the capital.

The attack followed a wave of Israeli airstrikes late Wednesday targeting what the Israeli military described as Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, including intelligence sites and facilities linked to the group’s Radwan force, an elite unit of Hezbollah.

Hezbollah Escalates Attacks

The latest Israeli strikes came after Hezbollah announced a series of attacks against Israeli targets.

In several statements, the group said it had launched rockets, drones, and artillery shells toward Israeli cities and military positions, particularly in northern Israel. Hezbollah later said it had targeted the Glilot base near Tel Aviv, which houses Israel’s Unit 8200 military intelligence headquarters, with what it described as a barrage of precision rockets.

Regional Conflict Expands

The escalation between Israel and Hezbollah is unfolding alongside the broader regional war triggered by the U.S.–Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began on February 28.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said overnight that it had carried out a joint missile operation with Hezbollah targeting Israeli positions.

The expanding confrontation has raised concerns among regional and international officials that the war could further intensify across multiple fronts in the Middle East.