Israel asks Lebanese to leave homes where Hezbollah stores arms as attacks continue on both sides of border

The Lebanese armed militant group Hezbollah fired over 150 rockets across northern Israel, with some landing near the city of Haifa, as Israel launched hundreds of strikes on Lebanon.

The Israeli military has called upon the people of Lebanon for the immediate evacuation of homes and other buildings where the Hezbollah militant group stores weapons. This comes after the two countries exchanged heavy fire on Sunday (September 22) with Hezbollah firing over 100 rockets into a wider and deeper area of northern Israel than it has struck previously in months of low-level conflict which began soon after the October 7 deadly attack in Israel last year.

Earlier, a Hezbollah leader declared an “open-ended battle” was underway as both sides appeared to be spiralling closer toward all-out war.

In response, Israel carried out dozens of airstrikes early Monday on southern Lebanon. The Israeli military’s Arab-language spokesperson said Israel’s air force was attacking Hezbollah targets in different parts of the country.

Tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East as both sides launch attacks and counter-attacks. An Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb on Friday killed a top Hezbollah military commander and more than a dozen Hezbollah members, as well as dozens of civilians.

Last week, thousands of communications devices, used mainly by Hezbollah members, exploded in different parts of Lebanon, killing 39 people and wounding nearly 3,000. Lebanon blamed Israel for the attacks, but Israel did not confirm or deny its responsibility.

(With AP inputs)

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