Hezbollah reported on August 19 that two of its fighters were killed and claimed responsibility for attacks on northern Israel, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict. The Iran-backed group has been engaged in cross-border fire with the Israeli army in support of Hamas since the October 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group, which triggered the Gaza war.
Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified since last month’s Israeli strike on Beirut, which killed Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander. Shortly afterward, a separate attack in Tehran, attributed to Israel, claimed the life of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Hezbollah referred to its fallen fighters as “martyrs on the road to Jerusalem,” a term it uses for members killed by Israeli forces. In response, Israel’s military reported striking “Hezbollah terrorists” in the Hula area of southern Lebanon and targeting additional Hezbollah military structures in the region.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) confirmed Israeli shelling and air raids on several southern areas, adding that Israeli warplanes flew at low altitude over Beirut and its suburbs. Hezbollah claimed to have launched a drone attack on two Israeli military positions: the Yaara barracks near the border and a military base near the coastal town of Acre, about 15 kilometers from the frontier.
Israel acknowledged that multiple aerial threats were detected from Lebanon, with some intercepted by air defenses and others landing in the Yaara area.
United Nations humanitarian coordinator Imran Riza expressed concern over the growing crisis, stating that nearly 150,000 people in Lebanon live in areas affected by daily shelling and airstrikes. The conflict has displaced over 110,000 people in southern Lebanon, while northern Israel has seen around 100,000 displaced.
The ongoing cross-border violence has claimed the lives of 584 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters, along with at least 128 civilians. On the Israeli side, 22 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, including casualties in the annexed Golan Heights.
