Rescuers inspecting the debris from one of the Israeli strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/OLJ)
The Israeli army has threatened that Hezbollah's deadly attacks "will not go unanswered," after Hezbollah's rocket fire on northern Israel killed seven Israeli civilians on Thursday. The retaliation was swift, with intense airstrikes on Nabatieh in southern Lebanon and, from Friday night until dawn, about fifteen bombardments on Beirut's southern suburbs, which had been spared since Sunday evening.
On Friday, Israeli airstrikes also pounded the cities of Sour in southern Lebanon and Baalbeck in the Bekaa region, as well as other areas in Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil. This escalation added more casualties to an already heavy toll, which the Lebanese Health Ministry updated in the evening.
These new waves of violence came hours after two American envoys attempted, unsuccessfully, to negotiate a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since September. In Beirut’s Kafaat district, a building was still burning on Friday, surrounded by debris and scorched vehicles, filling the area with thick smoke. Hezbollah fighters, dressed in black and some armed, secured the area. The Israeli army claimed to have targeted Hezbollah sites in Beirut and Nabatieh.
Airstrikes also targeted the Baalbeck-Hermel region in the Bekaa, reportedly killing at least ten people, according to Lebanese authorities. Throughout the day, the National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes on various Bekaa locations, which were not preceded by any evacuation warnings from the Israeli army. In Sour, a building collapsed near the shore following airstrikes, according to an AFP correspondent.
Targeted Strike
An Israeli airstrike on Thursday night struck an apartment in Ain el-Remmaneh in Aley, killing a man and his two wives, and injuring their three children, as reported by a municipal source. The man, reportedly a survivor of the ‘pager attack’ of Sept. 17, had survived that incident, which had killed over 30 Hezbollah members and injured hundreds across Lebanon. Following this, Israel intensified its offensive, launching ‘Operation Northern Arrows.’
The Lebanese Army spokesperson declined to comment on the incident, while the Health Ministry reported at least three deaths and five injuries, including children.
Hezbollah's Reduced Communications
Hezbollah has been quieter than usual, with its ‘war media’ releasing only five statements about operations against Israeli positions — far fewer than the dozens typically released daily, with a record of 48 in one day. Among these, two statements covered night attacks, while three reported afternoon strikes.
Hezbollah later published a new video, less than a minute long, intended to boost fighters’ morale, featuring scenes from the front and a recorded message from former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike on Sept. 27. This video was less assertive than the one released on Oct. 26, which warned Israeli civilians to evacuate 24 towns with military infrastructure.
Disappearances
In Houla, in Marjayoun district, a couple—Zainab and Mahmoud Yacoub—went missing, along with their herd. UN peacekeepers from the Nepali battalion conducted searches, but found no trace of them or their animals.
As Israeli airstrikes intensify, more disappearances are reported in addition to casualties. Twelve people remain missing in the Bekaa following three separate Israeli airstrikes earlier in the day, targeting Younine, Bednayel, and Saaidé in Baalbeck district, as reported by our Bekaa correspondent.
