Hezbollah has unleashed one of its most significant rocket barrages against northern Israel since the start of the Gaza war.

Nearly 100 rockets were launched early Wednesday in retaliation for the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon the night before. This escalation raises fears that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is intensifying, with both sides signalling their willingness to escalate further.

The Israeli Response

The Israeli military reported the firing of over 90 rockets from Lebanon as sirens blared across numerous northern communities. While many rockets were intercepted, several landed, igniting fires. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Israeli warplanes retaliated by striking what they identified as the rocket launch site in southern Lebanon's Yaroun, as aerial footage demonstrated.

Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group allied with Iran, confirmed that Taleb Abdullah was killed in an airstrike on the town of Jouaiyya late Tuesday. Abdullah, also known as Hajj Abu Taleb, led a Hezbollah division along the front lines between Israel and the Litani River. He is the second high-ranking Hezbollah figure to be mourned as a commander since October 7. The other was Wissam al-Tawil, deputy head of the elite Radwan unit, who was killed in January by an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.

Three other Hezbollah operatives also perished in Tuesday's Israeli airstrike.

The escalation in hostilities follows declarations from both Israel and Hezbollah of their readiness to expand the conflict as the Gaza war heightens tensions.

Increased Militant Activity

While ground confrontations have so far been limited to border skirmishes, Hezbollah has been actively contesting Israel's aerial dominance over Lebanese airspace. The group released footage of its third successful downing of an Israeli-made Hermes 900 drone using a surface-to-air missile.

This week, Hezbollah fired missiles at Israeli fighter jets to deter them. The Israeli military confirmed these incidents, stating no aircraft were damaged.

Late Tuesday, the Israeli military reported striking an area in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah was setting up for another launch. They also noted that 15 rockets were fired by Hezbollah, some intercepted, while others fell in open fields.

Ongoing strikes across the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military show no signs of abating. Nonetheless, Hamas announced it had submitted a response to the latest ceasefire proposal, which includes plans for a prisoner swap and the rebuilding of the enclave.