Israeli fighter jets on Monday carried out strikes in eastern Lebanon for the first time since its conflict with Hezbollah dramatically escalated amid the parallel war in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it hit Hezbollah air defenses in the Bekaa Valley in response to an Israeli Hermes-450 drone being shot down by a surface-to-air missile earlier in the day. At least two Hezbollah militants were killed in the reprisal strikes, Lebanese sources told Reuters.
The Israeli strikes represent the deepest attacks inside Lebanese territory since Hezbollah began exchanging fire with troops across Israel’s northern border after the Gaza war began. Targets were hit near Baalbek, a city known for its ancient ruins not far from the Syrian border, as simultaneous strikes were reportedly launched.
