The Israeli military released a video of the strike and said the target was Hassan Hussein Salami, who it said was responsible for activities including launching missiles directed at Israel.
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Hezbollah politician Hassan Fadlallah said that Israel has expanded its strikes by hitting Baalbek and other areas, and seeks to “compensate” for the downing of its drone.
He said in televised statements delivered during the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter who was killed in recent days: “Its aggression against Baalbek or any other region will not remain without a response.”
The Israeli army said that it “will continue to work to defend the State of Israel from the threat of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, including air operations over Lebanese territory.”
Hezbollah has launched a campaign of attacks on targets on the border with Israel since the raid launched by its Palestinian ally, Hamas, on October 7 on the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah describes it as an attempt to support Palestinians who are under Israeli fire in Gaza.
Israel says it will increase fire on Hezbollah
The hostilities were largely concentrated in areas near the Lebanese-Israeli border, but expanded last week when Israel struck an area south of the coastal city of Sidon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant indicated on Sunday that Israel plans to increase attacks on Hezbollah in the event of a potential ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
He said: “If a temporary truce is reached in Gaza, we will increase the firing in the north separately, and it will continue until Hezbollah’s complete withdrawal.” [from the border] And the return of Israeli citizens to their homes.”
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But he left the door open to diplomacy. He said in the statement he sent from his office: “The goal is simple – to pull Hezbollah to where it should be – either through an agreement, or we will do it by force.”
The violence led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.
Hezbollah said earlier on Monday that it shot down an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over Lebanese territory with a surface-to-air missile.
The Israeli army said that two missiles were fired targeting an Israeli Air Force drone that was operating over Lebanon. It said that the first plane was intercepted by the Israeli “David's Sling” air defense system, but the drone “fell inside Lebanese territory” after a second launch.
Since October, Israeli strikes have killed about 50 civilians in Lebanon, in addition to about 200 Hezbollah fighters.
Attacks from Lebanon to Israel led to the deaths of ten Israeli soldiers and five civilians.
Israel responds to the International Court of Justice
Israel on Monday submitted a report to the International Court of Justice on measures it has taken to comply with an interim ruling calling on it to prevent acts of war in Gaza that could amount to genocide, an Israeli official said.
The official did not provide details about the content of the report, which was submitted hours before the deadline for submission.
Last month, the UN Supreme Court ordered Israel to refrain from any actions that could fall under the Genocide Convention and to ensure that its forces do not commit genocide against Palestinians after South Africa accused Israel of state-led genocide. Israel and its Western allies described these allegations as baseless.
In its ruling, the court said that Israel must specifically prevent and punish any public incitement to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and preserve evidence related to any allegations of genocide there. She also said that the state must take measures to improve the humanitarian situation of Palestinian civilians in the Strip.
It may take years for a final ruling in the case to be issued in The Hague.
The latest war on Gaza broke out after the attack launched by Hamas on October 7 on towns in southern Israel, which Israel says led to the killing of 1,200 people and the taking of 253 hostages.
Reuters
