Israel Intensifies Airstrikes on Lebanon, Targets Hezbollah Strongholds
Defense minister reaffirms war goals as conflict escalates; drone strike hits Israeli kindergarten.
Israeli warplanes pounded Lebanon with airstrikes Tuesday morning in one of the heaviest daytime attacks on the Hezbollah-controlled region.
The strikes come after a warning was released by the Israeli army on social media, warning residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut that they were residing near a dozen Hezbollah facilities throughout the area, according to Reuters. A series of blasts were also heard across the capital city.
No casualties were immediately reported in Beirut. Residents have fled the area, known as Dahiyeh, since Israel launched its airstrike campaign in September.
The latest round of strikes comes as newly appointed Defense Minister Israel Katz met with Israelâs general staff for the first time on Monday.
âIsrael will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israelâs right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own and meet the goals of the war in Lebanon â disarming Hezbollah and its withdrawal beyond the Litani River and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes,â he said during the meeting.
Sparked by tensions from the Gaza War, Israel has launched a series of heavy blows against Hezbollah, including killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah last month. The Airstrike has decimated large areas of Beirutâs southern suburbs, border villages, and broader attacks across the neighboring country.
Drone strikes were also launched into northern Israel on Tuesday from Lebanon, with one making an impact in the yard of a kindergarten school in the suburbs of Haifa, according to Reuters. Children were rushed into a shelter, preventing any injuries.