Israeli Army Targets Hezbollah Positions Deep Inside Lebanon for the First Time

Two security sources told Reuters that the Israeli army carried out at least two simultaneous attacks around the city of Baalbek in Lebanon on Monday, March 7, marking the first attacks deep inside Lebanese territory since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Hezbollah, supported by the Iranian government, has targeted Israel with missile attacks in support of its ally Hamas, which is also dependent on financial and military resources from the Islamic Republic of Iran, leading to exchanges of fire between the two sides. The Lebanese television network Al-Jadeed aired images of smoke rising from the Baalbek area on Monday. The Baalbek region, located in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, is known as a political stronghold of Hezbollah. The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli army announced on Monday that it attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after one of its military drones was shot down by the group. Lebanese media reported that two Hezbollah members were killed in the Israeli airstrikes on the Baalbek area. Early Monday, Hezbollah stated that it shot down an Israeli Air Force drone over the Nabatieh region in southern Lebanon with a surface-to-air missile. According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli army confirmed this news in a statement, saying that Israel's air defense system successfully intercepted one of the surface-to-air missiles fired by Hezbollah at the Israeli drone, but moments later, a second missile hit the drone, causing it to crash in Lebanese territory. The Times of Israel noted that the Israeli army targeted the wreckage of the drone to prevent Hezbollah from extracting engineering information from it. The report indicated that Israel has warned that it will no longer tolerate Hezbollah's presence along its borders, as this terrorist group may launch an attack similar to Hamas's attacks on October 7. Israel also stated that the failure of diplomacy to compel Hezbollah to distance itself from the Israeli border makes attacks against Hezbollah necessary. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, amidst negotiations for a hostage release agreement, said that Israel would increase its attacks against the Iranian-backed group in response to daily Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel, even with a potential temporary ceasefire in Gaza. He stated that Hezbollah 'is unable to find replacements for the commanders we are eliminating.' Although Hezbollah has not engaged in a full-scale war, it has lost over 200 of its forces, which is a significant blow to the group since the all-out war between Israel and Hamas. Gallant mentioned that if there is a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, Israel will enhance its ability to attack Hezbollah in the north until the group is 'completely' pushed back from the borders, allowing Israeli residents of the northern country to return to their homes. Approximately 80,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes due to Hezbollah's attacks. Gallant said, 'The goal is simple: to push Hezbollah back to where it belongs.' He added that Israel will achieve this 'either through agreement or by force.' The Times of Israel reported that the official death toll of Hezbollah has reached 208. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a weapons depot of Iranian-backed militants in the city of Abu Kamal was targeted. Israel's 'all-out' operations in Gaza may continue for 'another eight weeks.' Hezbollah Lebanon claims to have fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel. The Israeli Air Force commander stated that if a war with Lebanon begins, the term 'attack' will not describe Israel's actions. A military commander of Hezbollah Lebanon was killed in a drone strike attributed to Israel. The United States has sanctioned several companies in Turkey and Lebanon due to their connections with Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.