Hezbollah Launches 250 Rockets at Israel in Response to Beirut Strikes

Hezbollah has fired approximately 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel after Israeli airstrikes targeted its stronghold in southern Beirut. The attack marks one of the militant group’s heaviest barrages in months, resulting in at least seven injuries. Some of the rockets reached central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area, despite Israeli air defenses intercepting others.

In a statement, Hezbollah confirmed it had carried out its first-ever drone strike on the Ashdod naval base in southern Israel, followed by a missile and drone barrage on Tel Aviv’s military sites, including the Glilot army intelligence base, which Hezbollah has previously targeted.

The Israeli military confirmed the launch of about 250 projectiles, marking one of the highest daily figures in the ongoing conflict. Israel’s response has included airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Beirut, with Lebanese media reporting intense border fighting. The strikes come after Israel’s offensive in Beirut killed at least 84 people on the previous day.

As violence escalates, Lebanon announced the suspension of in-person classes in Beirut for safety reasons. The ongoing conflict has led to over 3,700 casualties in Lebanon since October 2023, with at least 82 Israeli soldiers and 47 civilians killed.

Despite calls for an immediate ceasefire from EU diplomat Josep Borrell, who warned that Lebanon is on the brink of collapse, the fighting continues. Borrell and US envoy Amos Hochstein have both emphasized the possibility of a truce, urging adherence to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which called for the disarmament of armed groups and a cessation of hostilities after the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.

The resolution mandates that only Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should be present along the southern border, with Israel required to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.