Israel’s military said it had eliminated a Hezbollah member in Syria who relayed intelligence against Israel in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while Syrian media reported on Thursday that Israeli airstrikes hit targets in Syria.
Israel, which has carried out strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria for years, has ramped up its raids since the October 7, 2023, attack by the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israeli territory, which ignited Israel’s war in Gaza.
Israel has escalated its retaliation for the Hamas attack, sending troops into Lebanon and airstrikes into Yemen and Syria in the hunt for Iran-backed militants, raising fears of a wider Middle East conflict that could draw in Iran and the United States.
Ground clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which is also backed by Iran, spread along southern Lebanon’s mountainous frontier on Wednesday as the Middle East was on high alert awaiting Israel’s response to an Iranian missile strike last week.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday about potential Israeli retaliation against Iran, in a call both sides described as positive.
The two discussed Israel’s plans in the 30-minute call, and Biden urged Netanyahu to minimise civilian harm in Lebanon, the White House said.
Israel has promised that arch-foe Iran will pay for its missile attack, which caused little damage, while Tehran has said any retaliation would be met with vast destruction, raising concerns of broader fighting in the oil-producing region.
Biden last week made comments discouraging Israel from striking Iranian oil fields and said he would not support Israel striking Iranian nuclear sites.
Besides the attacksby Hezbollah and Hamas, Yemen based Houthi rebels are also fired rockets at Israel. The Houthis have also targeted ships that they claim are linked to Israel.
Team Bharatshakti
(With inputs from Reuters)