Israel says two of its soldiers killed in strikes along Lebanon border as Hezbollah vows retaliation for device attacks

Two Israeli soldiers were killed on Thursday amid clashes near the Lebanon border. The development came even as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed retaliation for a series of unprecedented bombings. The recent attacks have stoked fear of an all-out war following 11 months of exchanges of fire between the two sides.

“There is no doubt that we have been subjected to a major security and military blow that is unprecedented in the history of the resistance and unprecedented in the history of Lebanon. This type of killing, targeting and crime may be unprecedented in the world. The enemy crossed all boundaries and red lines…went beyond all controls, laws and morals…The attacks could be considered war crimes or a declaration of war…Lebanese front will not stop before the aggression on Gaza stops,” Hassan Nasrallah assured in a televised message on Thursday evening.

At least 37 people were killed and around 3,000 wounded this week as pagers and other communication devices exploded across Lebanon. The attack is believed to be the culmination of a months-long operation by Israel to target as many Hezbollah members as possible all at once. 

Meanwhile Israel announced a ‘new phase of the war’ on Thursday without directly acknowledging the recent explosions. The country has made efforts to fortify its forces along the shared border this week — including the relocation of a powerful army division that had previously fought in Gaza. The military also said it had staged a series of drills along the border over the past couple of days.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had struck dozens of Hezbollah targets on Thursday. — including rocket launchers and weapon depots in southern Lebanon. An IDF statement indicated that it had countered around “30 Hezbollah launchers and terrorist infrastructure sites, containing approximately 150 launcher barrels that were ready to fire projectiles toward Israeli territory”.

“In the new phase of the war there are significant opportunities but also significant risks. Hezbollah feels that it is being persecuted and the sequence of military actions will continue,” Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)