Israel and Hezbollah continue tit-for-tat strikes across the Lebanon border

Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked several military buildings belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the areas of Al-Adisa, Yaroun and Marhavin in southern Lebanon Saturday evening.

On Sunday, IDF troops fired artillery toward Hezbollah positions in the areas of Al Matamura, Wadi Hamol, Rashid al-Fuhr and a-Sawana. Soon after, two anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon into Israel, striking two homes in the northern town of Metula and cutting off electricity on the street. There were no reported injuries. 

Following those attacks, IAF fighter jets struck a number of Hezbollah military structures and terror infrastructure in the areas of Khiam and Ayta ash Shab in southern Lebanon, while IDF artillery struck in the areas of Khiam, Houla, Markaba and Kfarkela.

מטוסי קרב תקפו במהלך הלילה תשתית טרור ומספר מבנים צבאיים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחבים אל-חיאם ועייתא א-שעב שבדרום לבנון.

בנוסף, צה"ל תקף בירי ארטילרי במרחבים אל-חיאם, חולא, מרכבא, וכפר כילא שבדרום לבנון pic.twitter.com/sZ5v9g3MH6

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 26, 2024

The ongoing cross-border strikes remain a significant concern for Israelis who fled their homes in the north. Most have not returned, as Hezbollah's preferred methods of attack, using mortars and anti-tank missiles, are difficult to defend against.

On the southern front, Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system has been able to shoot down the majority of rockets launched by Hamas toward population centers. However, due to their smaller size, speed, and lower flight path, neither mortars nor anti-tank missiles can be detected by the radar systems which allow the Iron Dome to work efficiently.

According to the IDF, the main way to restrain attacks from the Israeli side is a swift counter-strike, attacking the locations of the launches. While this is often effective, it does not always prevent the attacks from reaching Israel. 

In addition to retaliatory strikes at Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, Israeli military forces are focused on eliminating Hezbollah commanders and officers via targeted strikes in Lebanon and Syria. 

On Saturday, an alleged Israeli drone strike in central Syria was responsible for eliminating two Hezbollah terrorists, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor. SOHR stated that two Hezbollah militants were killed and several others wounded in a presumed Israeli strike. 

“An Israeli drone fired two missiles at a Hezbollah car and truck near the town of Qusayr in Homs province, as they were on their way to Al-Dabaa military airport, killing at least two Hezbollah fighters and wounding others,” SOHR said. 

It was the third strike on Hezbollah targets in Syria in the past week. 

On Sunday morning, an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle in southern Lebanon killing at least one person, according to Lebanese media. 

The Saudi television network Al-Arabiya, citing sources in Lebanon, reported that the person killed in the drone strike in Naqoura in southern Lebanon was Hezbollah operative Mohammed Bidoun. 

Shortly after the strike, air raid sirens were activated in the Western Galilee area. There were no impacts or injuries reported.