Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday to strike Hezbollah without mercy following the militant group’s deadliest assault on Israel since the current conflict began in late September.
The attack, which took place on Sunday, saw Hezbollah launch a drone strike on an Israeli base, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers and injuries to another 60 people.
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Netanyahu made the statement during a visit to a military base near Binyamina, south of Haifa, saying, “We will continue to strike Hezbollah mercilessly across Lebanon, including in Beirut.”
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, said it launched the drone attack in retaliation for recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including one that killed at least 22 people in central Beirut, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Since Israel escalated its bombing campaign in Lebanon on September 23, over 1,315 people have been killed, according to Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is believed to be higher.
Airstrikes continued on Monday, targeting various areas in Lebanon, including a predominantly Christian village in the north, where 21 people were reportedly killed.
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Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for launching rockets at an Israeli naval base near Haifa on Monday and for a large-scale rocket attack on the northern Israeli town of Safed later in the day.
The group’s fighters were also involved in heavy fighting in the border village of Aita al-Shaab.
Air raid sirens sounded across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, as the military reported intercepting two drones approaching from Syria.
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Israel, which has intensified its strikes against Hezbollah in recent weeks, aims to secure its northern border and allow displaced residents to return to their homes.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, says its actions are in solidarity with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that launched an attack on Israel on October 7 of last year, triggering the current conflict.
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The war has led to widespread displacement in Lebanon, with the International Organization for Migration reporting that at least 690,000 people have been displaced.
Monday’s Israeli airstrike on the northern village of Aito, a predominantly Christian area, marked a shift in Israel’s bombing patterns, which have mostly targeted Hezbollah strongholds in Shiite Muslim areas.
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Rescue teams on the ground are struggling to keep up with the relentless strikes, with Lebanon’s civil defense chief Anis Abla reporting that ongoing attacks are hindering their efforts.
International humanitarian organizations, including the Red Cross, have called for the protection of rescue workers and medical facilities amid the escalating conflict.
