Israel intercepted a missile launched by Hizbollah aimed at the Tel Aviv area and conducted extensive bombardments in new regions of Lebanon on Wednesday, as the ongoing conflict between the two entities intensified.
Hizbollah reported that the Qader 1 ballistic missile, launched in retaliation to Israel’s heavy bombardment of Lebanon which resulted in nearly 600 fatalities this week, was intended to strike the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, situated on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. This marked the first instance of the Lebanese militant group utilizing a ballistic missile against Israel and the first time one of its projectiles was intercepted over Tel Aviv, triggering air raid sirens across the coastal city.
The Israeli military confirmed the downing of the missile, emphasizing its destructive potential and longer range compared to the rockets previously used by Hizbollah. No damage or injuries were reported.
In response, Israeli air strikes intensified their attacks on Lebanon, targeting new regions previously outside Hizbollah strongholds. This included attacks on villages in Mount Lebanon, north of Beirut, for the first time. Additionally, Israel claimed to have destroyed the launcher responsible for firing Hizbollah’s ballistic missile located in the Nafakhiyeh area of southern Lebanon.
Israel is preparing for an escalation in Hizbollah’s attacks following heavy raids on Hizbollah strongholds across Lebanon on Monday and Tuesday. These raids targeted weapons stores and resulted in the deaths of senior commanders. The Israel Defense Forces reported that over 3,000 Hizbollah targets had been struck within the week.
Hizbollah reported it had fired numerous missiles at northern Israel on Wednesday. This escalating violence has raised concerns of a potential all-out war between Israel and Hizbollah, prompting many residents in southern Lebanon to flee in anticipation of further conflict.
Lebanese authorities have reported a death toll of 579 due to the bombardment, including a strike in a Hizbollah-controlled area of southern Beirut that killed the group’s missiles division chief, Ibrahim Qobeissi, on Tuesday. Other attacks have struck regions across the south and the Bekaa Valley in the east, with heavy bombardment targeting villages and the outskirts of major cities such as Baalbek and Hermel.
Israel has stated its intention to continue military actions until the 60,000 citizens displaced from northern areas due to cross-border fire can safely return home. Hizbollah has launched rockets at northern Israel since shortly after October 7, in support of Hamas in Gaza, with its rocket attacks increasing to 300 per day in response. Most of these projectiles have been intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, although Hizbollah is believed to have substantial stockpiles yet to be deployed. On Wednesday, a projectile hit an assisted living facility in the northern town of Tsafed, but no injuries were reported.
The Qader 1 ballistic missile, as described by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, is a medium-range missile developed in Iran and first tested in 2015. Analysts suggest it can carry a 750kg warhead and reach targets up to 1,600 km away.
The previous week saw over 3,000 injuries and 37 fatalities in Lebanon when Hizbollah’s communications devices detonated en masse. The group blamed Israel for the incident, though Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement.
Hizbollah accused the targeted Israeli intelligence command center of being responsible for assassinations and detonating their communication devices. The group also disclosed the use of “Fadi” rockets in recent attacks, named after a Hizbollah commander killed in 1987, with longer ranges of 70km to 100km and varying explosive payloads. These rockets, including the more powerful Fadi-3 used for the first time on Tuesday, are described as medium-range and “inaccurate ballistic missiles” that are interceptable by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.