Israeli forces escalated their military operations in southern Lebanon on the eve of anticipated diplomatic discussions in Washington, striking dozens of targets linked to Hezbollah, according to the Israeli military.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that more than 40 infrastructure sites belonging to Hezbollah were targeted over the past 24 hours across several areas in southern Lebanon. The military said the strikes included weapons storage facilities and buildings allegedly used for military purposes, which it claimed were being used to plan and facilitate attacks against Israeli forces and civilians.
The IDF also said that operatives posing an “immediate threat” were eliminated and that rocket launchers prepared for firing toward Israeli territory were struck during the same wave of operations.
In parallel, IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued urgent warnings to residents in several southern Lebanese towns and villages, including Kfarhata, Arabsalim, and Deir Ez-Zahrani, urging evacuation ahead of imminent strikes targeting what Israel described as Hezbollah infrastructure.
He also previously issued an additional urgent warning to residents in other southern Lebanese locations, including Maashouq, Yanouh, Bourj el-Shemali, Halousiyeh al-Fawqa, Debaal, and Abbassiyeh, amid ongoing Israeli strikes in those areas.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported multiple airstrikes across the south, noting an escalation in targeted assassinations. Israel struck three cars on a highway south of Beirut on Wednesday, killing eight people, including two children, Lebanon's health ministry said.
The escalation comes as diplomatic attention shifts toward Washington, where direct discussions involving Israeli and Lebanese counterparts are expected to focus on reducing cross-border hostilities and addressing Lebanese demands for a halt to Israeli strikes and incursions. The timing of the strikes underscores the continued volatility on the Israel-Lebanon front, despite ongoing international efforts to contain the conflict.
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