Israeli Attack on Hezbollah Positions in Baalbek, Lebanon Leaves 6 Dead and 11 Injured

The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in a village in the Baalbek region on Saturday, November 17, resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to 11 others. Israel has not yet responded to this news. Simultaneously, the Israeli Air Force targeted Hezbollah positions in the southern suburbs of Beirut in several phases. Among the targets attacked in the suburbs were a weapons depot, a command center, and Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure. The southern suburbs, a key Hezbollah base in Beirut, are known for the group's use of civilian areas to establish its facilities. Avichai Adraee, a spokesperson for the Israeli army, had previously urged residents of nearby areas to stay at least 500 meters away from Hezbollah facilities. The Israeli army, in cooperation with its Air Force, has destroyed a number of Hezbollah weapons depots, tunnels, and infrastructure in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours. Israeli fighter jets also targeted a Hezbollah military complex used for launching rockets into northern Israeli cities. In response, Hezbollah claimed to have engaged Israeli soldiers five kilometers deep into Lebanese territory, marking the deepest point of Israeli ground invasion observed so far. Hezbollah continued its rocket and drone attacks against northern Israeli cities on Saturday, triggering warning sirens in these areas. A rocket strike on a synagogue in Haifa on Saturday evening caused severe damage. According to Israeli media, there were no casualties as no one was inside the synagogue at the time of the attack. Earlier, the Israeli army reported that the remnants of a downed drone struck a residential building in Nahariya, causing minor damage. Hezbollah has unilaterally launched rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel since the terrorist attack on October 6, 2023. In response, Israel has conducted severe attacks against this group’s positions in Lebanon and Syria, killing hundreds of members of this major proxy arm of the Iranian government in the region, including its leader and senior military commanders such as Hassan Nasrallah, Foad Shukur, Ibrahim Aqil, and Hashem Safi al-Din. Alongside heavy airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley, Israel has also deployed ground forces to parts of southern Lebanon, resulting in over 1.2 million Lebanese being displaced due to these conflicts. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Lebanon has requested Iran's assistance for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, amid fears of further damage to Hezbollah; Tehran is attempting to mediate a ceasefire in Lebanon. The U.S. has proposed a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel. Samir Geagea stated that Hezbollah should lay down its weapons as soon as possible. Israel emphasizes the continuation of its efforts against arms support to Hezbollah. The Security Council condemned attacks on UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. Speculation about a possible ceasefire in Lebanon continues.