Israel strikes eastern Lebanon for first time since Gaza war began – POLITICO
Since the war in Gaza started in October, in the wake of Hamas’ violent attack against Israel, Western countries including France have warned against escalation in Lebanon, fearing that war with the impoverished country would spark a wider regional conflict.
Apart from a targeted strike in Beirut to kill top Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri — widely attributed to Israel — exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah had largely been limited to the southern border between Israel and Lebanon.
A Lebanese security source told Reuters that today’s strikes mark “a broadening of Israel’s campaign.”
On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said his country would still target Hezbollah even if a potential cease-fire with Hamas is reached in Gaza. “We will continue the fire, and we will do so independently from the south, until we achieve our goals,” he said.
