According to Lebanese state media, ten civilians have been killed in Israeli attacks
The Israeli army launched new attacks on targets in Lebanon on Thursday, a day after attacks in southern Lebanon killed at least 10 civilians, the most in months of cross-border fighting.
The attacks – which were in response to a rocket attack from Lebanon on Wednesday that killed one Israeli soldier and injured eight other people – heightened fears that months of cross-border clashes could escalate into a full-fledged war.
On Thursday, Lebanese state media reported that 10 civilians had been killed in the Israeli attacks, including seven members of one family in the town of Nabatieh. Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia, said earlier that three of its fighters had been killed.
Lebanon's interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday condemned Israeli military “aggression” and called for an urgent complaint against Israel to be filed with the UN Security Council, according to a statement from his office.
Shortly afterwards, the Israeli military said its fighter jets had carried out more attacks in Lebanon against Hezbollah targets.
The escalations fueled fears that a second front could emerge in Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah, a key ally of Hamas, has pledged to respond to the Israeli attacks – and Israeli leaders signaled they too were prepared to fight.
The attacks also threatened to derail diplomatic efforts by the United States and others to defuse cross-border tensions that flared after Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said earlier on Thursday that he had spoken with US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III about Hezbollah's “ongoing threats and attacks.” In a message on social mediaMr. Gallant said Israel would guarantee its security along the border with Lebanon through “diplomatic or military means.”
That came after comments from Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, who said late Wednesday that his troops were “now focusing on preparing for war in the north.”