2 Israeli soldiers killed, 8 injured in Hezbollah attack after pagers explosions

CAIRO – 20 September 2024: In a tragic turn of events on Thursday, two Israeli soldiers were killed and eight others sustained injuries during missile and drone assaults by Hezbollah in northern Israel, the Israeli army confirmed.

Reports indicate that in the Ramim Ridge area on the border in the Galilee Panhandle, Hezbollah launched two anti-tank missiles from Lebanon, resulting in the casualties, with one in critical condition.

Hezbollah persisted in targeting military sites in northern Israel on Thursday, retaliating after suffering casualties due to an Israeli operation involving explosive pagers and communication devices.

Also yesterday, the Israeli forces launched airstrikes on what it deemed Hezbollah rocket launchers primed for immediate use against Israeli territories, their most intense attacks on southern Lebanon since the start of the Gaza war on 7 October.

The Israeli forces asserted that around 100 rocket launchers and other infrastructure sites belonging to Hezbollah were neutralized. The army added that operations are underway to target further Hezbollah installations in Lebanon to diminish their capabilities.

This escalation follows recent detonation of hundreds of pagers and radios by Israel in Lebanon, which primarily targeted Hezbollah fighters but also killed civilians over the past two days.

The attacks resulted in the tragic loss of 37 lives and left around 3,000 individuals injured in Lebanon, intensifying the already volatile situation in the region.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Wednesday a "new phase" of war with Hezbollah, saying the army’s goal is to ensure the safe return of dwellers to their homes in northern Israel.

The escalation comes amid fears of possible all-out war across the region, primed with the war in Gaza which has lasted for nearly a year, killing more than 41,000 Palestinians and leaving population on the brink of famine.