War Expands With Massive Israeli Airstrikes 60km Deep Into Lebanon

The Israel-Hezbollah war is expanding, which was on display Monday as Israel for the first time struck near a large city which is deep inside Lebanon, far away from the border, in the region of Ghaziyeh.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari has confirmed in a statement that military was behind large airstrikes that rocked a town just south of Sidon earlier in the day. Hagari the strikes targeted Hezbollah weapons depots, and also served as a response to an explosive-laden that struck northern Israel previously on Monday. Video captured the moment of the massive airstrikes:

Happening now: More footage from Israel's bombing of Lebanese civilian areas 45 kms from the border. It is clearly visible that these are homes in a residential area. Sidon is under the control of the Lebanese army, which receives financial assistance from the US govt. pic.twitter.com/ebTde3HvWG

— Sharmine Narwani (@snarwani) February 19, 2024

Sidon is the third largest city in Lebanon, and the region that was attack lies at least 45-60 kilometers from the Israeli border. So far the tit-for-tat strikes which stretch back to early October, following the Hamas terror attack on southern Israel, have been confined to southern Lebanon. Fighting has by and large stayed to within kilometers of the border on either side.

“Israeli jets attacked near Sidon on Monday, Israeli media reported, citing the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar newspaper,” regional media also confirms. “The two strikes occurred in the region of Ghaziyeh some 60 km from Israel’s northern border.”

Videos of the strikes show a huge fireball erupt high into the air…

⚡️First moments of the zionist airstrikes on the Ghaziyeh area in Lebanon pic.twitter.com/WGQWW22rYY

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) February 19, 2024

This also marks the first time a Sunni-dominant area has been hit (as opposed to focusing on the Shia south, where Hezbollah has most sway)…

BREAKING: Massive Israeli military attack against #Lebanon targets civilian areas near major coastal city, Sidon. Is Tel Aviv trying to incite the Sunni of Lebanon? Sidon is where ex-PM Rafik Hariri hails from. It is 5 days since the anniversary of his assassination. pic.twitter.com/vB72KWWUVN

— Sharmine Narwani (@snarwani) February 19, 2024

Lebanese national media has since described the attack as against an industrial facility, amid the ongoing emergency response…

خاص NBN

كاميرا الـ NBN ترصد الاستهداف الاسرائيلي لمستودع الزيوت ومعمل الباطون في الغازية#زمن_فلسطين pic.twitter.com/AXisCoIXWd

— nbnlebanon (@nbntweets) February 19, 2024

Casualties in Ghaziyeh are as yet unknown, but the location was deep in a civilian area along the coast.

Meanwhile there are reports of missile alert sirens sounding once again in various towns of northern Israel, which portend the coming Hezbollah response.

Attack is unprecedented since fighting began following Oct.7, given this is very deep inside Lebanese territory:

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz recently repeated a warning to the Lebanese government, saying that if Hezbollah isn’t removed from near the border that Lebanon would “pay a heavy price”. However, Lebanon’s Army is widely seen as not having the capability to remove the powerful Shia paramilitary group backed by Iran, which would also most certainly set off another civil war.