Israeli airstrikes on eastern Lebanon have reportedly killed eight members of the Hezbollah group, including several local officials. The Lebanese Health Ministry put the death toll at 10. The Hezbollah officials told a news agency that the eight militants were killed in strikes near the village of Rayak in northeast Lebanon last night. One of the Hezbollah officials said that three of the dead were local commanders.

 

After the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza, Hezbollah began firing rockets from Lebanon into Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians. Israel responded with airstrikes and shelling. The low-level conflict escalated into full-scale war in September 2024, later reined in but not fully stopped by a US-brokered ceasefire two months later.

 

Since then, Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rebuild and has carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon that it says target Hezbollah militants and facilities.