Hezbollah claimed on Tuesday that it had repelled Israeli forces that crossed into Lebanon near a UN peacekeeping (UNIFIL) post, after Israel recently announced ground incursions. According to Hezbollah, its fighters fired on Israeli troops who infiltrated near the village of Labboune, close to the coast, forcing them to retreat back across the border.
Earlier in the day, Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said the military was in contact with UNIFIL to ensure the peacekeepers were not caught in the crossfire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The Israeli military reported that around 85 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, including toward Haifa, while Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stark warning to Lebanon, threatening that it could face devastation similar to Gaza if Hezbollah continues its attacks. He urged the Lebanese people to distance themselves from the militant group, warning of a long, destructive conflict.
Hezbollah also stated that it had launched rockets at Haifa, while the Israeli military announced that its 146th Division had begun localized operations against Hezbollah in southwestern Lebanon. Israeli forces reportedly struck Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut, where the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah had been killed in an earlier strike.
Despite the heavy Israeli bombardment, Hezbollah’s deputy leader insisted the group’s military and leadership remained intact, warning that further Israeli actions would force more residents of northern Israel to flee.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant countered by describing Hezbollah as a weakened organization, claiming its leadership was fractured and its military capabilities diminished following the elimination of Nasrallah. Meanwhile, the death toll from Israel’s broader military offensive in Gaza has reached over 41,965, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials, a figure the UN has described as credible.