IDF to broaden aerial assault on Hezbollah

“We are preparing to strike terror targets in the Beqaa Valley in the near future,” the IDF spokesperson announced.

(JNS)

The Israeli Air Force is preparing another round of extensive strikes against Hezbollah, this time in eastern Lebanon’s predominantly Shi’ite Bekaa Valley, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari announced on Monday afternoon.

“This is a targeted warning to the residents of the Bekaa Valley. Residents who are near buildings or inside homes where missiles and weapons are stored: Distance yourselves from them immediately,” he said in a statement around 3 p.m.

“We are preparing to strike terror targets in the Beqaa Valley in the near future,” Hagari told reporters at the briefing in Tel Aviv. “Hezbollah stores strategic weapons there, in civilian buildings, and uses the population as a human shield and knowingly puts it in danger.”

On this morning’s strikes in Southern Lebanon, which targeted more than 400 Hezbollah sites, Hagari said that every building hit by IAF fighter jets was used by the Iran-backed terrorist group to store weapons.

“The sights that are now seen in Southern Lebanon are Hezbollah’s weapons exploding inside houses,” he declared, adding that inside “every home we struck, there are rockets, drones, missiles, which were intended to murder Israeli civilians.”

In an Arabic-language warning issued concurrently with Hagari’s remarks, the IDF gave Lebanese noncombatants across the Bekaa Valley a two-hour ultimatum to distance themselves from all Hezbollah infrastructure.

“Urgent warning to the residents of the villages of the Bekaa region in Lebanon. Hezbollah operations force the IDF to act against terrorist infrastructure in your villages,” the message stated.

“The IDF is not interested in harming you. If you are inside or near a house containing Hezbollah weapons, you must leave it and move away from it within two hours to a distance of no less than 1,000 meters [3,280 feet],” the military added. “Anyone who is near Hezbollah facilities and weapons is putting his life and the lives of his family members at risk.”

On Monday morning, IAF fighter jets conducted massive airstrikes on Hezbollah targets to stop cross-border rocket attacks, targeting more than 400 Hezbollah sites mainly in the southern part of Lebanon.

Hagari warned that strikes would continue in the immediate time frame and criticized Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, accusing him of “dragging Lebanon and the entire region into escalation.”

The IDF sent thousands of text messages to civilians in Southern Lebanon on Monday, warning them to steer clear of Hezbollah sites. According to local reports, the Israeli army also hijacked a popular Lebanese radio station to deliver warnings to noncombatants.

Hezbollah has attacked Israel nearly daily since Oct. 8, 2023, firing thousands of rockets, missiles and drones. The attacks have killed more than 40 people and caused widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the violence.

Air-raid sirens were heard in the Safed area of the Upper Galilee on Monday morning, with many blasts heard and dozens of interceptions reported. A large barrage was also reported deep into the Lower Galilee.

The Magen David Adom emergency response group said two Israelis sustained light wounds when a rocket hit in the area of the Golani Junction, located in the Lower Galilee between Tiberias and Nazareth.

The male victims, aged 25 and 59, were evacuated to Poria Medical Center (Baruch Padeh Medical Center) near Tiberias for treatment.

In Giv’at Avni, located adjacent to the Sea of Galilee, a fire broke out after a rocket scored a direct hit on a house. The residents had barricaded themselves in their communal bomb shelter and emerged unharmed following the attacks.

Image: Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Southern Lebanon, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, Sept. 23, 2024. Photo by David Cohen/Flash90.