Hezbollah and Israel Clash in Escalating Conflict

Hezbollah and Israel engaged in one of their most intense exchanges of fire in over ten months, with Hezbollah launching hundreds of rockets and drones in retaliation for the assassination of commander Fouad Shukr. In response, Israel conducted extensive airstrikes across southern Lebanon, targeting military sites, which resulted in at least three deaths in Lebanon and limited damage in Israel. Both sides claimed to focus their attacks on military targets, and by midday, the intensity of the conflict appeared to decrease, although tensions remain high. Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati convened an emergency meeting to address the situation and work with international partners to prevent further escalation. These clashes coincide with ongoing negotiations in Cairo aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, with concerns that a larger regional conflict involving Iran and the U.S. could erupt. Israeli officials have indicated they do not seek a full-scale war, while Hezbollah has stated that its response to Shukr's killing will take time.