11 injured as Hezbollah fires 340 rockets, drones at Israel

Hezbollah has fired 340 missiles and drones at Israel, according to Israeli army radio, wounding 11 people and causing “severe damage” in Tel Aviv, as its fighters put up fierce resistance in southern Lebanon.

This is coming after Israel struck Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs, where intensified bombardment over the last two weeks has coincided with signs of progress in U.S.-led ceasefire talks.

Hezbollah, which has previously vowed to respond to attacks on Beirut by targeting Tel Aviv, said it had launched precision missiles at two military sites in Tel Aviv and nearby.

Police said there were multiple impact sites in the area of Petah Tikvah, on the eastern side of Tel Aviv, and that several people had minor injuries.

The Israel Defense Forces said a direct hit on a neighbourhood had left “houses in flames and ruins”.

Television footage showed an apartment damaged by rocket fire.

The attacks wounded at least 11 people, including a man in a “moderate to serious” condition, according to medical agencies.

Israel had killed at least 29 people in a strike in central Beirut.

At least 66 others were wounded, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned it as an assault on US-led ceasefire efforts, calling it a “direct, bloody message rejecting all efforts and ongoing contacts” to end the war.

“(Israel is) again writing in Lebanese blood a brazen rejection of the solution that is being discussed,” a statement from his office read.

The worsening feud

The worsening feud between Lebanon, Israel, and Hezbollah is a complex and deeply rooted conflict.

At its core, the dispute revolves around the presence of Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist militant group, in Lebanon.

Hezbollah has been a significant player in Lebanese politics since the 1980s and has been involved in numerous conflicts with Israel, including the 2006 Lebanon War.

The conflict escalated in 2006 when Hezbollah militants crossed into Israel and captured two Israeli soldiers, prompting a massive Israeli military response.

The 34-day war resulted in significant damage to Lebanon’s infrastructure and the loss of over 1,000 lives.

Despite a United Nations-brokered ceasefire, tensions between the parties have remained high, with periodic outbreaks of violence.

Today, the feud continues to simmer, with Israel viewing Hezbollah as a significant threat to its national security.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, sees itself as a resistance movement fighting against Israeli occupation.

The Lebanese government has struggled to assert its authority over Hezbollah, which has become a virtual state within a state.

The conflict has significant implications for regional stability and has drawn in other players, including Iran and the United States.

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