Israel Conducts Air Raid on Baalbek, Hezbollah Responds

This picture taken near the town of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on March 21, 2024 shows smoke billowing in the northern Israeli border town of Metulla during bombardment amid ongoing cross-border tensions. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
This picture taken near the town of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on March 21, 2024 shows smoke billowing in the northern Israeli border town of Metulla during bombardment amid ongoing cross-border tensions. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
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Israel Conducts Air Raid on Baalbek, Hezbollah Responds

This picture taken near the town of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on March 21, 2024 shows smoke billowing in the northern Israeli border town of Metulla during bombardment amid ongoing cross-border tensions. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)
This picture taken near the town of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on March 21, 2024 shows smoke billowing in the northern Israeli border town of Metulla during bombardment amid ongoing cross-border tensions. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)

Israel conducted an airstrike on Baalbek, Hezbollah's stronghold in eastern Lebanon, early Sunday, wounding at least three people, a local official said.

The airstrike near the city of Baalbek was the latest to hit the area in recent weeks.
The strike occurred a few minutes after midnight and wounded three people according to Baalbek’s mayor, Bachir Khodr, who posted the news on X.

It was not immediately clear what was struck. The strike came hours after Hezbollah said it used two drones carrying explosives to attack an Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system in the northern Israeli town of Kfar Blum.

The Israeli military said warplanes attacked a workshop used by Hezbollah for military activities. It added that after the strike some 50 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Israel, saying some were shot down and others fell in open areas.

But Hezbollah said in statement that in response to the "bombing of a place in the city of Baalbek" it targeted an Israeli missile and artillery base in Yoav and the Kaila barracks with more than 60 Katyusha rockets.

A pair of Israeli airstrikes March 12 near Baalbek killed at least two people and wounded 20, marking a continuing escalation between Israel and Hezbollah over the war Israel is fighting with Hamas militants in Gaza.



Jordan Army Says It Thwarts Border Infiltration across Syria, One Killed

In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)
In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)
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Jordan Army Says It Thwarts Border Infiltration across Syria, One Killed

In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)
In this May 23, 2021, file photo, the Syria national flag is displayed at a gathering at Omayyid Square in the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. (AP)

The Jordanian army said on Sunday it had killed one person and arrested six others who tried to cross the border from Syria.

Officials say there has been a spike in such attempts in recent weeks by drug and arms smugglers linked to pro-Iranian militias who hold sway in southern Syria.

The army says they have also used drones in their operations.

Damascus denies any complicity and says it tries to curb rampant drug and arms smuggling across the border with Jordan.