Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon have killed at least 45 people and wounded more than 100, according to the Lebanese health ministry, in the heaviest bombardment since the 2006 war. The strikes targeted Hezbollah positions and infrastructure in response to a rocket attack on the Golan Heights on Saturday that killed 12 children and teenagers.
The United Kingdom has called for an immediate de-escalation, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy stating that 'the risk of a wider regional conflict is now acute.' The Foreign Office urged both sides to exercise restraint and return to the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 conflict.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia and political party, confirmed that it had launched an attack on an Israeli military base in the Golan Heights as a 'preliminary response' to the killing of a senior commander in an Israeli strike last week. The group said it had fired dozens of Katyusha rockets at the base, which Israel said caused no casualties.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the country would 'exact a heavy price' from Hezbollah and its sponsors. The Israeli military stated that its strikes had hit more than 100 Hezbollah targets, including rocket launchers, command centres, and weapons depots.
The escalation has raised fears of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, which fought a 34-day conflict in 2006 that killed more than 1,100 people in Lebanon and 160 in Israel. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it was 'deeply concerned' by the escalation and urged both sides to cease hostilities.
The European Union also condemned the violence, with the bloc's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, calling for an immediate ceasefire. The United States expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself but also called for restraint to avoid a broader regional conflict.
The Lebanese government, which has no control over Hezbollah's military activities, called for an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the United Nations Security Council. Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that the country was being 'dragged into a war it does not want' and urged the international community to intervene.
The UK's call for de-escalation comes as the Foreign Office updated its travel advice for Lebanon, urging British nationals to leave immediately. The travel advisory warns that the security situation could deteriorate further without warning.
As the diplomatic effort intensifies, the fighting shows no signs of abating. The Israeli military said it was prepared for a 'multi-front war' and had approved operational plans for a continued campaign against Hezbollah. For its part, Hezbollah has warned that it will expand its attacks if Israel continues its bombardment of civilian areas.
The developments mark the most serious cross-border confrontation between the two sides in nearly two decades, with analysts warning that a miscalculation could trigger a devastating proxy war involving Iran and other regional powers. The international community now faces a critical window to prevent a broader conflict that could destabilise the entire Middle East.
