Israel’s Monday air strike into Lebanon, which killed more than 550 people, comes amid a dramatic escalation of hostilities on the border.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog threatened further military action against Hezbollah one day after Israel launched air strikes across Lebanon, killing more than 550 people in the country’s deadliest day in nearly two decades.
It marks a dramatic escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah following nearly 12 months of strikes since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, stoking fears of an all-out regional war.
Thousands of Lebanese residents in the country’s south are fleeing their homes amid the bombardments, with many receiving automated text messages and calls telling them to evacuate. Israel’s government issued warnings to people in areas of Lebanon where it was targeting Hezbollah.
Asked if Israel will launch a full-scale ground operation in Lebanon, Herzog insisted that his country did not want war.
“Israel is not interested, did not want this war, and is not interested in going to war with Lebanon”, Herzog told CNBC’s Dan Murphy on Tuesday.
“But Israel has been attacked from October 8 from Lebanon endlessly. And if you look at the situation today, Hezbollah has launched missiles and rockets all over the northern part of Israel. So we will do whatever it takes to bring our citizens back home and enable calm in our cities. That’s the situation.”
“We’ve shown our capabilities, and we have much more on the way, if they will continue”, Herzog added.
Hezbollah has continued firing rockets into northern Israel since the attack, most of which have landed in open areas or been intercepted by air defenses.
