Israel launches intensive airstrikes on Hezbollah sites in Lebanon: military sources

BEIRUT, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes launched on Thursday about 60 airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in southern and eastern Lebanon, according to Lebanese military sources.

The sources, who spoke anonymously, said "the planes dropped about 150 air-to-ground missiles," adding that the casualties and damage caused by the intensive raids, "the most violent since Oct. 8," are not yet known.

The Israeli military said the Air Force had struck "100 rocket launchers, consisting of approximately 1,000 barrels."

After hours of intensive strikes that began in the afternoon, the Israeli military announced just before midnight that the operation was complete.

The Lebanese sources said that about 50 Katyusha rockets were launched from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.

The exchange of fire occurred amidst two consecutive days of deadly explosions of pagers and communication devices across Lebanon allegedly carried out by Israel, which resulted in at least 37 fatalities and 2,931 injuries.

These developments marked the latest escalation of ongoing conflict on the Israel-Lebanon border that began on Oct. 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, prompting Israel's retaliatory artillery fire and airstrikes into southeastern Lebanon. The conflict has already caused heavy casualties and displaced tens of thousands on both sides. ■