Israeli fighter jets attacked strategic targets deep into northeastern Lebanese territory twice on Tuesday, striking Hezbollah sites that were located more than 100 kilometers from the northernmost point on the Israel-Lebanon border.
Arab media reported Tuesday afternoon that Israeli fighter pilots attacked targets in the Harmel district, deep in northeastern Lebanon’s Baalbek area. The IDF later confirmed the strike, which took place about 116 kilometers (72 miles) from the northernmost point on Israel’s border.
It was the furthest the IDF has attacked in Lebanon since the start of the October 7 war launched against Israel by Gaza’s Iranian proxy, Hamas.
The strikes followed a barrage of Hezbollah rocket fire targeting the IDF air traffic control base atop Mount Meron and a winery in the northern Israeli community of Avivim, where several buildings were damaged and set ablaze.
No injuries were reported. The IDF shelled the launcher site that fired the rockets, using artillery.
“In response to the Hezbollah attack on the IDF Aerial Control Unit atop Mount Meron in northern Israel, IDF fighter jets struck a landing area and several military structures inside a military compound used by Hezbollah’s aerial unit in the area of Zboud, deep inside Lebanese territory,” the IDF confirmed in a statement.
“In addition, IDF fighter jets struck a Hezbollah military compound and terrorist infrastructure in Ayta ash Shab and Kfarkela earlier earlier in the day. A Hezbollah observation post in the area of Maroun El Ras was also struck.”
Hezbollah later fired a barrage of 50 Katyusha rockets from Lebanon at an IDF base the terror group called the “Jordan facility” in the Golan Heights, claiming the rocket fire came in response to an IDF attack in Bekaa.
Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepted at least some of the missiles as Israelis in the area raced for cover shortly after 4 pm Tuesday afternoon.
In response, for the second time within a few hours, IDF fighter jets carried out air strikes in the Baalbek area, deep into Lebanese territory.
The fighter pilots struck a landing area and several military structures inside a military compound used by Hezbollah’s aerial unit in the area of Tell Wardeen, site of an archaeological excavation nine kilometers north of Baalbek, about 125 kilometers (77 miles) from the Israel-Lebanon border.
On Tuesday evening, IDF fighter jets also struck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in the area of Hanine and a military compound in the area of Beit Yahoun in southern Lebanon.
