Chicago – August 25, 2024
Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel early Sunday, prompting Israel’s military to retaliate with about 100 jets striking Lebanon to prevent further attacks, marking a major escalation in a 10-month border conflict.
Missiles streaked through the dawn sky with dark trails, sirens blared in Israel, and distant blasts lit the horizon. Smoke rose over houses in southern Lebanon’s Khiam. The conflict, concurrent with the Gaza war, risks drawing in Iran, Hezbollah’s backer, and the US, Israel’s ally. Lebanon confirmed three deaths, and Israel reported one, with both sides suggesting a desire to avoid further escalation but warning of possible future strikes.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claimed the attacks, in retaliation for a senior commander’s assassination, were completed “as planned,” hinting at potential future actions. Israel’s foreign minister emphasized avoiding full-scale war, while PM Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned, “This is not the end.”
