Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for launching over 200 rockets and drones targeting Israeli military positions on July 4.
This action was a response to the killing of a senior commander, Muhammad Nasser, also known as Hajj Abu Nimah, in southern Lebanon by Israeli forces the previous day.
A Hezbollah source confirmed to Al Jazeera that the attack, which followed a similar barrage of over 100 rockets on July 3, was a direct retaliation for Nasser's death. (Related: Hezbollah strikes several Israeli army bases, key defense factory.)
Nasser was the third high-ranking Hezbollah leader killed in the nearly nine months of cross-border conflicts triggered by Israel's genocidal conflict in Gaza. Nasser's killing follows the January assassination of Wissam Al-Tawil, a senior commander in Hezbollah's special forces unit, the Radwan Force.
The Israeli military confirmed the scale of the attack, stating that they had identified "200 projectiles and over 20 suspicious aerial targets" crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Many of these were intercepted by Israeli air defenses and fighter jets, and no casualties were reported.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that Israeli forces were striking Hezbollah "very hard every day" and would take any necessary action against the group.
The Israeli military confirmed the targeting of Nasser, describing him as a counterpart of Taleb Abdallah, another Hezbollah commander assassinated by Israel. Israel further claimed that Nasser had control over Hezbollah's anti-tank and rocket launch operations in southwestern Lebanon.
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Israel has responded to the Hezbollah rocket barrage with its own wave of fighter jets bombing several southern Lebanese villages within hours after the Hezbollah barrage. Gallant reiterated that the Israeli Defense Forces is prepared to use any means necessary to strike at Lebanon or to place Tel Aviv in a position of strength in future negotiations with Hezbollah leaders.
Hezbollah prepared to continue attacking Israel until a Gaza ceasefire is reached
In response, senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine warned that the group would continue to escalate its attacks on Israel.
"The series of responses continues in succession, and this series will continue to target new sites that the enemy did not imagine would be hit," Safieddine stated during a Beirut event commemorating the fallen commander.
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem told the Associated Press that the only way to deescalate the situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border is for Israel to cease its operations in Gaza. Hezbollah has been conducting attacks in solidarity with the Gaza Strip's besieged Palestinians.
The Gaza campaign has caused widespread destruction in the Palestinian enclave, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting over 37,000 Palestinians killed and more than 86,000 injured.
The recent surge in fighting and heightened rhetoric between Hezbollah and Israeli officials has prompted urgent diplomatic efforts by mediators from the Middle East, Europe and the United States who are all desperately trying to get Israel to back down to avert a larger regional conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in late June that Israeli forces must focus on northern Israel, while extremist Israeli ministers have called for a full-scale invasion of Hezbollah-controlled territories in Lebanon.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has asserted that the group is prepared for an all-out war if provoked. Iran has also issued warnings, indicating that “all Resistance Fronts” would respond if Israel attacks Lebanon.
Learn more about the conflict in Israel at IsraelCollapse.com.
Watch this report from Al Jazeera discussing Hezbollah's recent missile barrage involving over 200 rockets aimed at military installations in Northern Israel.
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