Israeli Defense Minister: We Will Target Hezbollah in Beirut, Damascus, and Any Other Distant Locations

Yoav Gallant, the Israeli Defense Minister, announced on Friday, April 10, the expansion and increase of attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Gallant's statements came a day after deadly attacks attributed to Israel against targets at Aleppo Airport in Syria and a fatal attack on the vehicle carrying Ali Naeem, the deputy commander of Hezbollah's missile unit, in southern Lebanon. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the UK, reported that the latest death toll from the Israeli attack on targets at Aleppo Airport was 44, including seven members of Hezbollah. Yoav Gallant warned that his country is shifting from a defensive posture to actively pursuing Hezbollah, targeting the group's activities in Beirut, Damascus, and any other distant locations. He also noted that he had observed the deadly attack on Ali Naeem on Friday morning. Additionally, the Israeli army stated that a senior member of Hezbollah's missile unit was killed in a drone strike. The Israeli Defense Minister reminded that Hezbollah is responsible for serious damages inflicted on Lebanon, and Hassan Nasrallah is accountable for the high casualties resulting from Israeli attacks on this group. Gallant added that 320 members of Hezbollah have been killed so far, and the group will pay a price for any actions taken against Israel. On Wednesday, April 8, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets towards Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli city near the Lebanese border. According to Reuters, this group, backed by the Islamic Republic, stated that this rocket attack was in response to a deadly Israeli attack in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, April 7, which resulted in at least seven deaths. Israeli websites reported earlier in March that the Revolutionary Guards had given Hezbollah the green light to intensify attacks against Israel in the event of a ground operation by the Israeli army in Rafah. The Israeli site i24 News stated that 'Post-Arabi' Turkey, citing various Iranian sources and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that this order was given by Ismail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, to Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, during their meeting in Beirut. According to this news site, Nasrallah requested from Qaani to prepare for more short and medium-range ballistic missiles to be sent to Lebanon, in addition to drones and Russian reconnaissance and communication systems. Since the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, Hezbollah has been conducting almost daily attacks against Israeli army positions in the north of the country and against Israeli civilians near the Lebanon-Israel border. In response, Israel has intensified the frequency and intensity of its attacks against Hezbollah's positions and infrastructure in Lebanon and Syria, and contrary to its usual practice, has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Syria. The Israeli army has warned that if Hezbollah does not cease its attacks and distances itself from border areas, entering into a large-scale war with Israel could result in Lebanon facing severe consequences. The ongoing rocket attacks by Hezbollah and continued airstrikes by the Israeli army indicate that there is currently no news of a ceasefire. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that five 'Syrian Hezbollah militants' were injured in an Israeli attack on the outskirts of Damascus. An Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Aleppo resulted in 38 deaths, according to two security sources. A rocket attack by Hezbollah in northern Israel resulted in at least one death. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least nine Iranian-affiliated fighters were killed in airstrikes in Syria. An Israeli army spokesperson stated that the Islamic Republic is responsible for the increase in tensions in the region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a Hezbollah commander and four militants were killed in Deir ez-Zor. Airstrikes in northern Damascus targeted Hezbollah positions.