Hezbollah uses longer range rockets against Israel amid escalating conflict

New Delhi, Sep  25: Hezbollah has deployed a rocket, known as the Fadi, in its escalating confrontation with Israel, with reports suggesting that these rockets carry more explosives and have a longer range compared to previous weapons used by the group.

However, experts note that the Fadi rockets still lack precision. Lebanese media outlet Naharnet reported, citing AFP news agency, that Hezbollah launched these rockets as part of a series of strikes against Israel over the weekend.

In an official statement, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for bombing Israeli military industry complexes in northern Israel, including the Rafael Advanced Defence Systems facilities.

The group stated that "dozens" of Katyusha, Fadi-1, and Fadi-2 rockets were fired in response to Israeli attacks that had caused civilian casualties across various regions in Lebanon.

According to AFP, Hezbollah also targeted the Ramat David base and airport, located around 45 kilometres from the Lebanese border, twice overnight however without any damage reported.

The use of the Fadi rockets marks the first time Hezbollah has deployed this new weaponry since the beginning of the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas, triggered by Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The introduction of these rockets signals an escalation of confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Israel's military announced that it intercepted a Hezbollah missile near Tel Aviv, marking the first time a missile launched by the group had reached close to Israel’s economic hub.

Israel has stepped up its offensive operations, with its military conducting extensive airstrikes in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh town, among other areas, in retaliation for Hezbollah’s ongoing attacks. According to the Lebanese health ministry, some of the casualties from these strikes have been in central and southern towns.

Despite deploying new weaponry, Hezbollah has so far refrained from entering into a full-scale war with Israel. The group has largely focused on smaller-scale attacks aimed at northern Israeli targets, though the recent missile targeting Tel Aviv indicates a shift in its approach.

AFP reports that Hezbollah’s decision to launch missiles toward Tel Aviv could be interpreted as a message that the group retains significant military capacity despite Israel’s continued airstrikes and operations in southern Lebanon.

Tensions have further intensified following Israel’s killing of Ibrahim Qubaisi, a senior Hezbollah commander, in an airstrike on southern Beirut. Qubaisi was reportedly in charge of missile units within Hezbollah.

Western nations and West Asia countries are expressing increasing concern over the situation, with the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and several other countries advising their nationals to leave Lebanon as hostilities escalate. The UK has deployed 700 troops to Cyprus in preparation for a possible evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon. The situation has forced tens of thousands of Lebanese residents, especially those in the south, to flee their homes as fears grow of a broader confrontation that could see Israel launching a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.