Hezbollah Fires Missiles At Israel, Prompting Retaliatory Strikes

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group has launched a missile attack on Israel on Wednesday. The attack was in response to the killing of three of its members earlier in the week, and it triggered retaliatory fire from Israel. Hezbollah, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the missile strike, targeting an Israeli position near Dhayra village with precision-guided missiles. The group described it as a "firm response to Zionist attacks" that had resulted in the loss of their comrades. Moreover, Hezbollah issued a warning of a "decisive" response to Israeli attacks that jeopardize Lebanon's sovereignty and the security of its people, particularly when such attacks result in the loss of lives among its fighters. The Israeli military promptly responded to the missile attack, stating that they were "currently striking in Lebanese territory" in response to the anti-tank missiles launched against their soldiers. Lebanon's National News Agency reported that the Israeli fire along various border locations had been met with resistance from Hezbollah, who used machine guns to counter the aggression. In the southern town of Qlaileh, AFP correspondents heard loud blasts, likely stemming from rocket fire. This recent exchange of fire follows the tragic incident on Monday when Hezbollah reported the deaths of three of its members due to Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. These events have unfolded amidst heightened border tensions, with Israel also deploying troops and heavy armor around Gaza in a retaliatory campaign against Hamas militants, who had instigated a deadly cross-border assault, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people.