New Delhi: In a significant escalation of hostilities, Lebanon-based Hezbollah launched dozens of Katyusha rockets at Israel, targeting Beit Hillel in northern Israel. The Iran-backed militant group stated that the attack was in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Kfar Kela and Deir Siriane in Lebanon, which allegedly injured civilians.
The situation in the Middle East grew increasingly volatile on Sunday as Iran and its allies prepared to respond to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, an act attributed to Israel, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
This latest assault by Hezbollah coincides with the United States bolstering its military presence in the region, deploying additional warships and fighter jets. Western governments have issued evacuation advisories for their citizens in Lebanon, where Hezbollah is headquartered, and airlines have begun canceling flights.
The killing of Haniyeh in Tehran, mere hours after the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah’s military chief in Beirut, has sparked vows of revenge from Iran and its allies within the “axis of resistance.” This axis includes Iran-backed groups from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, all of which have become increasingly involved in the nearly 10-month-long war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.
Israel continues to engage in multiple fronts, trading fire with Hezbollah and conducting a deadly raid in the occupied West Bank. Additionally, an Israeli strike on a school compound in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency.
Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar, was buried on Friday. While Israel has been accused by Hamas, Iran, and others of orchestrating the attack, it has not officially commented on the matter. On Saturday, Iran expressed its expectation for Hezbollah to extend its attacks deeper into Israeli territory, beyond just military targets.
In response to the escalating threat, the Pentagon announced an enhancement of its military presence in the Middle East to safeguard US personnel and defend Israel. This deployment includes the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers, and a new fighter squadron.
