Israel Attacks Deep into Lebanon in Preparation for Potential Escalation

This picture taken during a guided tour by the Hezbollah media office shows a man salvaging the remains of a destroyed greenhouse at the site of reported overnight Israeli bombardment on Sarein in the Bekaa valley in east-central Lebanon on August 20, 2024. (AFP)
This picture taken during a guided tour by the Hezbollah media office shows a man salvaging the remains of a destroyed greenhouse at the site of reported overnight Israeli bombardment on Sarein in the Bekaa valley in east-central Lebanon on August 20, 2024. (AFP)
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Israel Attacks Deep into Lebanon in Preparation for Potential Escalation

This picture taken during a guided tour by the Hezbollah media office shows a man salvaging the remains of a destroyed greenhouse at the site of reported overnight Israeli bombardment on Sarein in the Bekaa valley in east-central Lebanon on August 20, 2024. (AFP)
This picture taken during a guided tour by the Hezbollah media office shows a man salvaging the remains of a destroyed greenhouse at the site of reported overnight Israeli bombardment on Sarein in the Bekaa valley in east-central Lebanon on August 20, 2024. (AFP)

Israel announced on Tuesday that its recent attacks deep inside Lebanon came in anticipation of a potential escalation.

The announcement was made hours after the Israeli army targeted a Hezbollah ammunition depot in the eastern Bekaa valley, about 80 kilometers from the nearest border point.

On Monday night, Israeli aircraft launched heavy raids on three Hezbollah sites in the Bekaa, including weapons depots. No casualties were reported.

On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant assessed the situation at the 36th Division headquarters on the northern front with Lebanon.

“Our center of gravity is gradually shifting from the south to the north,” he said, pointing to a readiness to shift from operations in Gaza to a focus on the Lebanese front.

Galant added that the strikes deep inside Lebanon were in preparation for “any potential developments”.

The Israeli army confirmed its strikes on several warehouses storing Hezbollah weapons in the Bekaa on Monday.

It noted that following the raids, secondary explosions were observed, indicating a significant presence of weapons in the targeted locations.

Eleven people were injured in the attack, according to the Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center.

In retaliation, Hezbollah fired a barrage of missiles at Israeli military positions in the occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday.

In a statement, the party said: “In response to the Israeli enemy’s attack on the Bekaa region, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance launched an intense missile strike on the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah Barracks, as well as on the Artillery Regiment and Armored Brigade of the 210th Division in the Yarden Barracks.”

The Israeli army responded with a statement saying that its aircraft struck a Hezbollah launch site, from which missiles were fired, in the Beit Lif area in southern Lebanon on Monday.

It also said its jets targeted a Hezbollah military facility in Aita al-Shaab in the South.



US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
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US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates in fresh action targeting the Iran-backed militant group.

The US Treasury Department in a statement said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers that benefit the Houthis.

"The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

"These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes."

Among those targeted on Tuesday was Muhammad Al-Sunaydar, who the Treasury said manages a network of petroleum companies between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates and was one of the most prominent petroleum importers in Yemen.

Three companies in his network were also designated, with the Treasury saying they coordinated the delivery of approximately $12 million dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum products with a US-designated company to the Houthis.

Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

In January, Trump re-designated the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to impose harsher economic penalties in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against US warships defending the critical maritime area.

In May, the United States announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.

The Israeli military attacked Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah port on Monday in its latest assault on the militants, who have been striking ships bound for Israel and launching missiles against it.