While the Israel Defense Forces continue working to take out Hamas terrorists and their infrastructure in the Gaza Strip — and following an epic rescue of two hostages over the weekend — other Iran-backed terrorists in Lebanon to Israel's north found out that launching a new round of attacks was not a good idea.
Israeli Air Force striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon this morning in response to Hezbollah rockets that killed 2 and injured others.
— Jonathan Schanzer (@JSchanzer) February 14, 2024
The latest spate of rocket fire from Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon that killed at least one woman and an IDF soldier in Safed, Israel, and injured eight others was met with what the IDF says were counter-strikes carried out by fighter jets that targeted the terrorists' "military compounds" and "operational control rooms" among other targets, including some belonging to "elite" Hezbollah Radwan Forces.
The IDF announces the death of a soldier killed in Northern Israel by Hezbollah rockets fire earlier today. pic.twitter.com/76yqvkGXYq
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) February 14, 2024
In response to ongoing rocket fire toward northern Israel, IDF fighter jets struck a series of Hezbollah terrorist targets.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 14, 2024
The targets included military compounds, operational control rooms, and terrorist infrastructure. Several targets belonged to Hezbollah’s elite by Radwan… pic.twitter.com/KTb780H99y
"We have experienced a difficult event," said Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's War Cabinet following the latest attacks by Hezbollah. He warned that "the response" to those attacks that claimed at least one Israeli life would "come soon and powerfully." Indeed it did. "Not only is Hezbollah responsible," Gantz emphasized, "but also the government and the state of Lebanon."
The IDF says earlier today, two launches from Lebanon toward the area of Har Dov which fell in open areas were identified. In response, the IDF struck the sources of the fire, as well as additional areas in southern Lebanon.
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) February 13, 2024
A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck a military… pic.twitter.com/phon6vV8Un
Israel's strike in response to Hezbollah's rockets has been confirmed by the terrorist group to have taken out at least one fighter, Hassan Najem.
It's worth noting, as Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) Senior Adviser Rich Goldberg did, that the most recent attack launched by Hezbollah "ranged at least 13 kilometers," further underscoring issues with the "phony" deal seeking to prevent Hezbollah attacks on Israel by moving its terrorists 10km from the border.
The phony Hezbollah deal on the table from the White House and France is for some Hezbollah forces to pull back 10 kilometers from Israel’s border.
— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) February 14, 2024
Ignoring the glaring problems of verification and enforcement, today’s Hezbollah attack on Safed ranged at least 13 kilometers.
While visiting the relatively peaceful, though still tense situation, at the Israel-Lebanon border in August with FDD, this writer saw how close Hezbollah terrorists were to Israel's land despite existing restrictions on how close they were supposed to be allowed — as well as at least one decommissioned tunnel constructed by the Iran-backed terrorists that could have allowed a 10/7-style invasion from the north.
Earlier this year, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari pledged that Israel was prepared to "immediately" attack Hezbollah if the terrorists launched new assaults but emphasized Israelis "do not choose war as our first priority" while warning the IDF "will continue to act wherever Hezbollah is present."
This is a developing story and may be updated.