The Israeli military said Sunday that Hezbollah attacked an air traffic control base in northern Israel, warning of a “new war” with the Lebanon-based militant group amid rising tensions in the region.
The Israeli military said Hezbollah attacked an air traffic control base on Mount Meron on Saturday, but its air defenses were not affected because backup systems were in place, the Associated Press reported.
Hezbollah said the attack on the air traffic control base was an “initial response” to Israel's alleged assassination of a senior Hamas official in Beirut earlier this month, the news agency said.
The Israeli military said no soldiers were injured and that any damage would be repaired. Israeli army chief of staff Lt. Col. Helj Halevi warned that Hezbollah would retreat under military pressure, “or we will enter a new war.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a stern warning to Hezbollah, an ally of the militant group Hamas.
“I suggest that Hezbollah learn what Hamas has already learned in recent months. Terrorists will not be spared,” Netanyahu told his cabinet. “We are determined to protect our people and safely return northerners to their homes.”
Hezbollah has targeted strongholds near the Israeli border since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October.
The Associated Press also reported an Israeli airstrike. killed Hezbollah commander The attack took place in southern Lebanon on Monday, Lebanese security officials said.
This escalation occurred during Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the Middle East. After speaking with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Sunday, Blinken stressed the need to prevent further escalation of the war.
“And certainly, I appreciate the work that we've been doing from the beginning since October 7 and the horrific attacks on Israel,” Blinken said. “As you said, it's been three months since that attack, and it's a time of serious tension in the region. This is a conflict that could easily metastasize and cause further unrest and further suffering. .”
“That is why, from day one, we have focused, among other priorities, on efforts to prevent the escalation of conflict. And that is why, for the fourth time since October 7, we have “This is the main focus of the visit,” he added.
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