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Israel’s military said it carried out a targeted airstrike in southern Lebanon on Friday after identifying Hezbollah operatives transporting rockets into a storage facility, as tensions continue to escalate across the region.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, surveillance units spotted several militants moving rockets into a warehouse located in the al-Majadel area. The military said the activity was detected in real time, prompting an immediate response.
Within minutes, aircraft from the Israeli Air Force struck the facility. The strike reportedly killed the operatives involved and caused significant damage to the storage site believed to be used for storing weapons.
Israeli officials said the attack was intended to prevent the rockets from being used in future assaults against Israeli territory.
The targeted strike comes amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign against the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, which has intensified its attacks since regional hostilities expanded earlier this year.
In a statement released Saturday morning, the IDF said it would “continue to operate with determination” against Hezbollah militants and infrastructure, accusing the group of acting as a proxy for Iran in the ongoing confrontation.
The military also revealed new figures regarding its broader campaign against Hezbollah. According to Israeli officials, more than 350 Hezbollah fighters, including several senior commanders, have been killed since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion.
The operation was launched following a surge in cross-border attacks that Israeli authorities say originated from Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.
Israeli military officials say the group has launched drones and rockets across the border in coordination with regional allies during the wider conflict involving Israel, Iran and other actors.
Later on Saturday, Israel issued an additional warning accusing Hezbollah of using ambulances and medical facilities for military purposes.
The warning was delivered by Avichay Adraee, who said the group must immediately stop exploiting protected civilian infrastructure for operational activity.
“We warn that the military use of medical facilities and ambulances must stop immediately,” Adraee said in a statement directed toward Lebanese audiences.
He added that if such practices continue, Israel would take action “in accordance with international law” against military activity conducted through those facilities.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of embedding weapons and fighters within civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, residential buildings and other protected locations. Lebanese authorities and Hezbollah officials have previously rejected many of these claims.
The latest developments follow a series of Israeli strikes across Lebanon in recent weeks. Several buildings in the Lebanese capital Beirut were reportedly hit after evacuation warnings were issued to nearby residents.
Images circulating online showed thick smoke rising from buildings in central Beirut following Israeli bombardments earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said the death toll from Israeli strikes had reached 773 people as of Friday.
The ministry did not specify how many of those killed were civilians or combatants, a distinction that has been a major point of contention during the conflict.
The escalation comes as Hezbollah intensified its participation in the wider regional confrontation involving Israel and Iran. The militant group began launching drones and rockets toward Israel from southern Lebanon shortly after hostilities expanded.
In response, Israeli forces have carried out near-daily airstrikes targeting what they describe as Hezbollah fighters, weapons depots and launch sites.
Regional analysts warn that continued cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah could further destabilize Lebanon, which is already facing severe economic and political crises.
Despite international calls for restraint, both sides have signaled that military operations are likely to continue in the near term as the broader regional conflict shows little sign of easing.