Lebanon reported on Friday that an Israeli airstrike cut off its main international route to Syria, following accusations from Israel that Hezbollah was transporting weapons through the country’s primary land border crossing. The strike marks the latest escalation in the conflict, which has seen 310,000 people—mostly Syrians—flee Lebanon for safety in Syria amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
The airstrike follows an intense night of bombings targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs, with reports indicating that Israel may have been aiming at Hashem Safieddine, a potential successor to the group’s assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah. This comes after Israeli officials suggested that Hezbollah’s weapons were being moved via the border crossing at Masnaa, the primary overland route from Lebanon into Syria.
The conflict escalated as Israeli Prime Minister Joe Biden discussed potential strikes on Iranian oil facilities, leading to a spike in global oil prices. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is expected to address the situation in a rare Friday sermon, following Iran’s direct missile attacks on Israel, which it claims were retaliation for Nasrallah’s killing.
Meanwhile, Israel’s ground operations have expanded into southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold, as airstrikes in Beirut and the broader region have intensified, resulting in over 1,000 deaths in Lebanon since the conflict’s resurgence on September 23.
As the situation continues to escalate, Hezbollah has maintained its rocket fire on northern Israel, with Israeli officials warning of severe retaliation.
