Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon with ties to Iran, launched a barrage of rockets into Israel on June 12, 2024, in response to the killing of one of its senior commanders. Taleb Abdallah, also known as Abu Taleb, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on June 11. The Israeli military claimed that Abdallah was a key figure in planning and executing attacks against Israel.
Abdallah's death marked the most significant escalation of violence between Hezbollah and Israel since the conflict began eight months ago. In response, Hezbollah fired over 100 rockets into northern Israel, targeting military bases and arms factories. Israeli jets were able to destroy several launch sites in southern Lebanon.
Abdallah had served as Hezbollah's top commander for the central region of the southern border strip. He was killed along with two other operatives in an airstrike on a house where they were meeting, about 10 kilometers from the border. Abdallah's funeral was held in his hometown of Aadschit, and hundreds of Hezbollah supporters attended.
The Israeli military did not comment on Abdallah's death but said it had targeted a Hezbollah command and control center in Lebanon. The Israeli military has been conducting strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon since October 2023, killing over 400 people, most of them Hezbollah fighters.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from northern Israel and southern Lebanon. The violence has also raised concerns about a potential regional conflagration.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks on Israel, stating that they were in retaliation for Abdallah's killing. Hezbollah officials vowed to intensify their attacks against Israel in response to his death.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the extent of damage caused by the rocket attacks or any potential casualties. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is ongoing, with both sides trading fire nearly every day.
