The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) significantly escalated their strikes against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon on Monday, striking well over a thousand targets that present a serious threat to Israel.
The strikes against Hezbollah have rapidly increased over the last week as Israeli leaders push to return tens of thousands to their homes in northern Israel after they were displaced following daily rocket, missile, and drone attacks from Hezbollah after Hamas’ October 7 attacks last year.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the Israeli Air Force has hit more than 1,300 Hezbollah targets so far today and is still launching new strikes that are continuing to target “cruise missiles that can reach hundreds of kilometers, heavy rockets with a 1,000-kilogram warhead, medium-range rockets that reach a range of up to 200 kilometers, short-range rockets, and armed unmanned aerial vehicles.”
More than 490 people, estimated to be mostly terrorists, were killed in the airstrikes on Monday with more than 1,600 sustaining injuries, according to the latest statistics released by the Lebanese government.
Secondary explosions were seen at many of the sites that the IDF targeted, indicating the presence of rockets and missiles that were detonating.
Shocking scenes in Lebanon as the IDF bombs the house of a local fireworks enthusiast. Just look at his collection of Catherine wheels, Roman candles and bottle rockets going off.
Well, either that or Hezbollah are hiding arms caches in civilian houses. Hard to say. pic.twitter.com/sl0obPvwBE
— Andrew Fox (@Mr_Andrew_Fox) September 23, 2024
What appears to be another Hezbollah ammunition depot in Sidon has been identified and struck by the Israeli military. pic.twitter.com/wol1FP4nLV
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 23, 2024
It continues. #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/CoxuyfaV4i
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) September 23, 2024
Looks like the Israelis identified and destroyed a Hezbollah ammunition depot. You can hear and see what may be a rocket burning off following the strike. pic.twitter.com/ZXvZMCXYBp
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 23, 2024
A close view of an Israeli airstrike targeting a Hezbollah site in Lebanon about an hour ago. pic.twitter.com/ylmjHPu0Tw
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 23, 2024
Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah positions reported in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley. pic.twitter.com/kwL9aQ1RrW
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 23, 2024
Significant Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon a short time ago. pic.twitter.com/cFHDZCieoR
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 23, 2024
Mainland Lebanon pic.twitter.com/b2Wex0YkoH
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) September 23, 2024
The IDF said in a statement on social media that it was carrying out the strikes because “over a million Israeli civilians are running to bomb shelters in Haifa as Hezbollah indiscriminately fires rockets.”
🚨Over a million Israeli civilians are running to bomb shelters in Haifa as Hezbollah indiscriminately fires rockets.
This is why we are operating against Hezbollah who is continuously attacking our civilians.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 23, 2024
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that in the last day, the IDF has “crush[ed] what Hezbollah has built over twenty years.”
“[Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan] Nasrallah remains isolated at the top, entire units in the Radwan force have been taken out of action, and tens of thousands of rockets have been destroyed,” he added.
A senior Israeli official told a local news station: “What Hezbollah hasn’t understood through force, it will understand through more force.”
Israel wounded thousands of Hezbollah fighters last week by detonating pagers on Tuesday and detonating walkie talkies on Wednesday that it secretly made and sold to the terrorist group — devices that it laced with explosives. Hundreds of terrorists remain in critical condition and dozens more were killed.
On Friday, the IDF killed the entire senior command of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force in an airstrike in a southern Beirut neighborhood, including Ibrahim Aqil, the Head of Hezbollah’s Operations Unit and the Commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces, who was also in charge of Hezbollah’s “Conquer the Galilee” attack plan.
The IDF followed up the elimination of the Radwan force’s senior command with an intense wave of airstrikes on Saturday, hitting nearly 300 targets “including thousands of launcher barrels, alongside additional terrorist infrastructure in multiple areas in southern Lebanon.”
