Israel airstrikes Hezbollah stronghold

The Israeli military carried out airstrikes on a Hezbollah weapons factory in the northern city of Baalbek, known as the group's stronghold.

According to AFP, the Israeli air force on March 24 attacked a Hezbollah facility in Baalbek that the group had abandoned for a while, injuring three nearby residents. "Five Israeli missiles hit a two-story, inhabited building in al-Osseira, on the outskirts of Baalbek," the person said.

Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), later announced that "Israeli fighter jets struck a Hezbollah weapons production facility in Baalbek", but did not give further details.

Location of the city of Baalbek. Graphic: Britannica — Location of the city of Baalbek. Graphic: *Britannica*

Following the airstrike on the city of Baalbek, Hezbollah announced that it had used rocket artillery to launch more than 60 rockets at two IDF positions in retaliation. The IDF said it detected about 50 projectiles, some of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system, while the rest fell in open areas.

Baalbek, a city in northern Lebanon, is known as a Hezbollah stronghold. The IDF has recently launched an increasingly deep offensive into Lebanese territory against Hezbollah positions, escalating the risk of war in the wider region.

Cross-border fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has been ongoing almost daily since Hamas launched its offensive in early October 2023. Hezbollah has said it will only stop its attacks on Israel if there is a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The conflict has killed at least 323 people in Lebanon, including 56 civilians. According to Israeli officials, at least 10 soldiers and 7 civilians have been killed. The fighting has forced thousands of people in southern Lebanon and northern Israel to flee their homes.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned in February that a potential ceasefire in the Gaza Strip "will not affect Israel's goal of repelling Hezbollah by force or diplomacy ."