Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon

Latest Developments

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck a series of Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon overnight, the Israeli military said on August 9. Among the targets struck by Israeli jets was a Hezbollah command center in the area of Hanaouay and terrorist infrastructure in the area of Ayta ash Shab. Israel also killed a Hamas security official from the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. The strikes came after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detected projectiles fired from Lebanon at northern Israel, causing sirens to sound in the areas of Manara and Kiryat Shmona. The projectiles fell in open areas and caused no injuries.

A day earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued an open letter to the people of Lebanon warning them that if “Hezbollah continues its aggression, Israel will fight it with all its might.” Gallant recalled the last major conflict between Israel and Lebanon in 2006 when Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah felt “regret following the dangerous and miscalculated adventure he embarked on.” Gallant said Lebanon must “learn the lesson of the past so as not to fall into a dangerous scenario in August 2024.”

Expert Analysis

“Israel’s consistent elimination of figures within Hamas and Hezbollah further demonstrates that the fight against these groups is not linear. ‘Total victory’ was never going to be a Six-Day War-style lightning campaign. The nature of these groups, and their physical and ideological entrenchment among a civilian population, requires a prolonged military campaign to gradually erode their military infrastructure and eliminate key figures of varying ranks and degrees of importance.” — David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow

“The media and pundits often characterize the Hezbollah-Israel conflict as a tit-for-tat exchange of fire. However, it is crucial to remember that Hezbollah made a strategic choice to engage in this conflict by launching an attack on northern Israel on October 8. The intensifying hostilities have placed Hezbollah and Israel on the brink of war. The situation would likely be different without Hezbollah’s decision to enter the fray.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

IDF Attacks Khan Younis

The IDF conducted a fresh attack on Khan Younis on August 9 aimed at routing Hamas fighters who remain in the southern Gaza city despite past Israeli incursions. “The military said Friday its warplanes struck 30 Hamas targets in the city, including fighters and weapons storage sites,” the Associated Press reported. “It said troops were searching for Hamas tunnels and other infrastructure while engaging in combat ‘above and below ground.’” Prior to the offensive, the Israeli military dropped leaflets urging residents of eastern Khan Younis to evacuate the area. The attack marked the third time Israel launched a major offensive in the city, The New York Times reported.

Related Analysis

“Israel Eliminates Senior Hamas Member Directing West Bank Terror,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Orders Evacuation of Beit Hanoun and Nearby Neighborhoods,” FDD Flash Brief

“Multiple Injuries in Northern Israel After Hezbollah Drone Attack,” FDD Flash Brief

“Arab Media Reports Five Hamas Leaders Eliminated in Gaza Strike,” FDD Flash Brief