Hezbollah attacks Israel with drones as fears of escalating war grow

BEIRUT — Hezbollah fired a new salvo into northern Israel on Thursday, continuing its exchanges with the Israeli military as fears of a wider war grow. Hundreds of Hezbollah electronic devices exploded in Lebanon earlier this week, killing at least 37 people and wounding about 3,000 others.

The bombs appear to be the culmination of a months-long Israeli operation to target as many Hezbollah members as possible at once. Pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah exploded over the course of two days, injuring or even maiming some fighters, but also maiming civilians from the group's social branches and killing at least two children.

It is unclear how the attack fits with warnings from Israeli leaders in recent weeks that they may launch an intensified military operation against Hezbollah, Lebanon's most powerful armed force. The Israeli government has said its war aim is to end the Iran-backed group's cross-border shelling in order to allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return to their homes near the border.

In a speech to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: “We are at the beginning of a new phase of the war – it requires courage, determination and perseverance.” He did not mention the exploding bombs, but praised the work of the Israeli army and security authorities, saying: “The results are very impressive.”

Gallant said that after months of fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, “the focus is shifting with resources and forces being diverted north.”

Hezbollah said early Thursday it had attacked three military positions in northern Israel near the border, two of them with drones. The Israeli military said the drones crashed near settlements. Hospitals reported treating at least eight patients with light or moderate injuries. The military said early Thursday it had attacked several militant positions in southern Lebanon overnight.

The barrage of attacks was a signal by Hezbollah that it would continue its almost daily shelling, which it describes as a sign of support for Hamas. Israel's 11-month war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip began after its militants led the attack on Israel on October 7.

Israel has responded to Hezbollah's fire with attacks in southern Lebanon, targeting high-ranking figures of the group in the capital Beirut. The attacks killed hundreds in Lebanon and dozens in Israel. Tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border had to be evacuated.

Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly withdrawn from full-scale war under strong pressure from the United States, France and other countries.

But in their recent warnings, Israeli politicians have declared that they are determined to drastically change the status quo.

Israel began moving more troops to the Lebanese border on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, Israeli officials said. Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said plans had been drawn up for further action against Hezbollah. However, media reports said the government has not yet decided whether to launch a major offensive in Lebanon.

Lebanon is still suffering from the consequences of the deadly bomb attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The explosions have left Lebanese people feeling uneasy and fearing a full-scale war. The Lebanese army said it had located and detonated suspicious pagers and communication devices. The country's civil aviation authority has banned pagers and walkie-talkies on all planes departing from Beirut's international airport until further notice.

The attack is expected to significantly disrupt Hezbollah's internal communications, as Hezbollah is desperately seeking secure lines of communication. Hezbollah announced the deaths of five fighters on Thursday, but did not say whether they were killed in the explosions or on the front lines.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was scheduled to speak later Thursday as the group vowed retaliation against Israel.

The explosions went off wherever the pager or walkie-talkie carriers happened to be in many parts of Beirut and eastern and southern Lebanon: in homes and cars, grocery stores and cafes, and on the streets, even at the funerals of some of those killed in the bombings, often in the presence of family members and other passersby.

Many suffered gaping wounds on their legs, stomachs and faces, or were mutilated in the hand. Tuesday's pager explosions killed 12 people, including two children, and injured about 2,300 others. The explosion the following day killed 25 people and injured more than 600, Health Minister Firas Abiad said, giving updated figures.

Abiad told reporters that Wednesday's injuries were more severe than the previous day because the exploding walkie-talkies were larger than the pagers. He praised Lebanese hospitals, saying they managed to treat the flood of injured within hours. “It was an indiscriminate attack. It was a war crime,” he said.