This escalation coincided with threats of retaliation following Iran's attack, resulting in the highest number of Israeli casualties since the beginning of the war due to a Hezbollah offensive.

The retaliation by Hezbollah against the Israeli assassination of its leaders led to 18 Israelis being injured following a drone attack on a recently established military base. Israel responded with a broad wave of bombardments targeting several southern towns.

This latest escalation comes amid uncertainties surrounding an anticipated Israeli military response to Iran's attack early Sunday, which targeted two Israeli military bases. This was Iran's response to the targeting of a consulate building in Damascus earlier in the month.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility on Wednesday for shelling a military command center in the Arab al-Aramshe area, adjacent to the Lebanese border, facing the towns of Yarin and Zahira in the western sector. In a statement, the group said that its fighters launched a "combined attack with guided missiles and suicide drones on an Israeli command headquarters" in the village of Arab al-Aramshe, in retaliation for "the assassination of several of our fighters in Ain Baal and Shahabia." The Israeli attacks on Tuesday resulted in four deaths, including three mourned by Hezbollah and one civilian.

Israeli paramedics reported 18 injuries on Wednesday in the area. Israeli media stated that 14 Israelis, including soldiers, were admitted to Nahariya Hospital with four in serious condition after being targeted by rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah from South Lebanon towards an Israeli site in Arab al-Aramshe in Western Galilee. The hospital declared a "multi-casualty incident" of Level "A".

Later on, "Kan" Hebrew channel reported an increase in the number of injuries to 18 due to the operation executed by Hezbollah in Arab al-Aramshe. "The Galilee Medical Center" in Nahariya noted that the condition of the injured varied from one critical injury, two serious injuries, four moderate injuries, and the rest were minor.

Record Number of Injuries

This figure represents the highest number of injuries in Israel in a single day since Hezbollah launched its "support and solidarity battle for the Gaza Strip" from South Lebanon on October 8, primarily launching drones at military bases to target the Israeli air defense systems and artillery emplacements, as claimed in their statements.

However, Wednesday's attack marked a shift in Hezbollah's military strategy, especially after the Israeli airstrike on Tuesday in the towns of Ain Baal and Shahabia, targeting a Hezbollah infantry commander for the coastal area and a missile unit leader for the "Radwan" force, Hezbollah's elite unit. Israeli media highlight that Israel has assassinated up to six Hezbollah field leaders operating in the south to date.

While Israeli media mentioned that the drone exploded in Arab al-Aramshe was "an Iranian-made Ababil-T,” the Israeli military stated it attacked the launch sites targeting Arab al-Aramshe. The military disclosed, "fighter jets bombed a military building housing terrorists from Hezbollah terrorist organization in the area of Aita al-Shaab in South Lebanon." It also mentioned, "in the past hour, several launches from Lebanese territory towards the Arab al-Aramshe area were detected, prompting the defense forces to strike back at the sources of fire."

A "Qualitative" and "Serious" Escalation

Observers consider this escalation as the most significant "qualitatively" since the war's onset, occurring alongside international discussions with Israel regarding a potential response to Iran, after an Israeli army spokesperson on Tuesday stated, "Iran will not escape punishment."

The war's course in South Lebanon differs from the Israeli-Iranian tensions. Military and strategic affairs researcher Mustafa Assaad stated that Hezbollah's response was anticipated after three airstrikes led to the assassination of the group's officials, labeling this escalation as "a dangerous development." He cited "the magnitude of breaches and pursuit by Israel, which forced the group to avoid communications," and noted that the second strike after the first in Arab al-Aramshe "targeted Israeli groups evacuating injured personnel," elevating the event's severity.

Assaad mentioned that showcasing the strike through Palestinians in the area and broadcasting the images provided Hezbollah with a media victory beyond a military one, prompting Israel to quickly respond with a video from the strike in Aita al-Shaab.

He does not see the Israeli escalation through targeting Hezbollah leaders as a substitute for retaliating against Iran, nor does he believe Hezbollah's targeting of Israeli air defense systems is linked to deterrence. He elaborated that the ongoing war in South Lebanon is limited, with no regional dimension of high moral significance for either Tel Aviv or Tehran, implying that any direct strike on Iran would be different, limited, and strategically calculated.

Despite continuous bombardment throughout Wednesday on the southern front, targeting areas like Zahira, Alma ash-Shab, Yarin, and Marwahin with intense artillery and drone surveillance, the situation remains tense. Israeli warplanes targeted Aita al-Shaab, and adjacent areas faced phosphorous artillery shelling. The military action did not spare civilian structures, with reports of a two-story house belonging to the Al Sayed family being completely demolished in one of the airstrikes.

Hezbollah had launched attacks on Israeli positions on Tuesday "in retaliation" to the strikes. One such attack near Beit Hillel caused three injuries, according to the local council in the area. Furthermore, the Israeli army reported the injury of four of its personnel inside Lebanese territory, shortly after Hezbollah announced that it had detonated explosive devices against Israeli soldiers crossing the border.