Israel is signaling a new era of conflict in the Middle East after it launched a new round of strikes in southern Lebanon overnight.
The Israeli military says it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure sites and weapons storage facilities after anti-tank missiles were fired from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory, wounding at least eight people.
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The strikes come after two days of attacks on wireless devices — including pagers and walkie-talkies — used by members of Hezbollah that exploded, killing dozens of people and injuring thousands of others. One Hezbollah official told The Associated Press that it was believed to be an attack by Israel.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials reportedly expanded their goals, one of those being to return its residents to largely evacuated northern communities. Some 60,000 Israelis have been internally displaced since the country launched its war against Hamas and other Iranian-allied militant groups in the region.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart overnight, reiterating the unwavering U.S. support for Israel. However, the White House has also been seeking to lower tensions in attempt to prevent a further escalation in the region.
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In regards to lowering tensions, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib claims his country is unable to negotiate with Hezbollah because "retaliation is a must to them."
"We tried to do something but I don't know how much power we have to stop them," Habib said. "And why is there resistance in the south? Because there is Israeli occupation."