Israel and the Hezbollah militant group engaged in heavy fire across Lebanon’s border on Sunday, leading to concerns of a wider conflict in the region amidst the ongoing war in Gaza. Dozens of rockets struck Israel, causing destruction to homes, cars, and communities. The Israel Defense Forces retaliated by striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. This exchange of fire was sparked by an airstrike in Beirut that killed senior leaders of Hezbollah. Additionally, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, backed by Iran, also launched drones at Israel.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah dates back to the war in Gaza, which began with terror attacks by Hamas in October. Since then, there have been tit-for-tat attacks resulting in casualties in both Israel and Lebanon. In solidarity with Palestinians and Hamas, Hezbollah began firing rockets, leading to further violence and displacement of thousands on both sides of the border.
In a separate incident, Israeli soldiers shut down Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah, West Bank, in what was seen as an attack on freedom of speech and the truth in journalism. This move followed a ban on Al Jazeera broadcasting within Israeli territory and the revocation of press credentials for its journalists in the country. The continued conflict between Israel, Hezbollah, and other groups in the region highlights the volatile situation in the Middle East and the ongoing tensions that threaten to escalate into a larger conflict.
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