Israel carries out strikes against Hezbollah targets amid concerns of escalation

The Israeli military hit several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight into Tuesday as the world awaits to see the extent of Israel’s response to this weekend’s Hezbollah attack that left a dozen children dead.

The Israel Defense Forces “struck approximately ten Hezbollah terror targets in seven different locations in southern Lebanon,” and the targets included a Hezbollah weapons storage facility, terrorism infrastructure sites, military structures, and a launcher, according to the IDF.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Monday that Israel’s response to this weekend’s strike would be “severe,” prompting speculation that the limited war between Israel and Hezbollah could expand into an all-out conflict that could draw other parties, including the United States, into the conflict.

Shortly after IDF officials announced the overnight strikes, they identified about 10 projectiles that crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel, the majority of which were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems. There were reports that a civilian was injured in the attack, according to the IDF.

Speaking from the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that a “full-blown” conflict is not “inevitable,” adding that Biden administration officials would like to see “things resolved in a diplomatic fashion.”

Hezbollah denied responsibility for the strike over the weekend that hit a soccer field in Majdal Shams and killed a dozen children, injuring several others. Both the U.S. and Israel have attributed the attack to Hezbollah, citing the area the weapon was fired from and the type of weapon used to prove attribution.

Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged rocket and missile fire along the Israel-Lebanon border since shortly after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that left roughly 1,200 people dead and another 250 or so who were kidnapped and brought back to Gaza.

Hamas and Hezbollah are both supported by Iran, which is the benefactor of several terrorist groups and militias in the Middle East. Hezbollah is considered to be Iran’s most powerful proxy.

The U.S., among several other countries, has desperately sought for several months to prevent Israel and Hezbollah from escalating their limited conflict into an all-out war, which officials believe would exact a significant toll on both Israel and Lebanon.

Austin reiterated that “if Israel is attacked” by Hezbollah, reminiscent of Iran’s unprecedented aerial attack in April in which the U.S. and several other allies worked with Israel to thwart the assault, then “yes, we will help Israel defend itself.”

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday that the White House believes concerns of an all-out war are exaggerated.

“Based on the conversations that we’ve been having, we don’t believe that this needs to result in an escalation of a broader war,” Kirby said. “There’s no reason for that outcome to occur.”

U.S. officials believe getting Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal could help defuse the tension between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite optimism from the U.S. about getting close to a deal, no one has been able to get a finalized agreement across the finish line.