The Hezbollah fired massive barrages of rockets at Israel on Wednesday in retaliation for an Israeli strike which killed a senior Hezbollah field commander.
Taleb Abdallah, also known as Abu Taleb, was killed along with three other fighters in the village of Jouaiyya, southern Lebanon, in an Israeli strike earlier on Wednesday. His death is noted as the most significant loss for Hezbollah in eight months of hostilities.
IAF aircraft eliminated Sami Taleb Abdullah, the commander of the Nasr Unit in the Hezbollah terrorist organization, last night. This was part of a strike on a Hezbollah command and control center in the area of Jouaiyya in southern Lebanon, which was used to direct terrorist… pic.twitter.com/DE4qKnC7Mk
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 12, 2024
Hezbollah responded by firing more than 100 rockets at Israel, in what is described as one of the group’s largest barrages since the conflict began. The group declared at least five attacks, including guided missile strikes on an Israeli military factory, military headquarters in Ein Zeitim and Ami’ad, and an air surveillance station in Meron.
In response, Israeli jets targeted multiple launch sites in southern Lebanon, after projectiles were fired towards northern Israel. The Israeli military reported that around 50 launches from southern Lebanon into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights were identified. Additionally, Israel noted approximately 90 projectiles crossing from Lebanon, some intercepted and others causing fires in northern Israel.
Background and Impact
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties on both sides. According to a Reuters tally, Israeli strikes have killed about 300 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, more than the number lost during their last major conflict in 2006.
Hezbollah’s attacks have resulted in the deaths of 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians. The Israeli military claims to have killed over 320 Hezbollah members, including at least 100 targeted based on precise intelligence.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October, Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire, raising concerns of a larger confrontation between these heavily armed adversaries. The recent Israeli strike and Hezbollah response marks a significant escalation.
With Inputs from Reuters
