Israeli jets struck several Hezbollah arms depots in the Bekaa Valley “deep in Lebanon,” the Israel Defense Forces stated on Monday evening.
Secondary explosions indicated “the presence of many weapons in the warehouses that were attacked,” the IDF stated in Hebrew. Reuters reported multiple civilian injuries.
Dramatic footage purporting to show the explosions and evoking large-scale fireworks displays circulated on social media.
The Israeli Air Force also killed Hossein Ali Hossein, “a key terrorist” in Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit, in Southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר תקפו לפני זמן קצר מספר מחסני אמל״ח של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב בקעא שבעומק לבנון.
לאחר התקיפות זוהו פיצוצי משנה המעידים על הימצאות של אמצעי לחימה רבים במחסנים שהותקפו>> pic.twitter.com/0S8US76irX— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 19, 2024
Hezbollah barrage kills one, wounds another in the Galilee
An IDF chief warrant officer was killed and a combat officer was seriously wounded on Monday morning when a drone launched from Lebanon slammed into Moshav Ya’ara in the Western Galilee, the army confirmed.
At least three others were injured in the attack.
The death of Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria, 45, from Ibtin, brings the total military death toll on all fronts since the start of the war to 691. Amaria was a soldier in the Bedouin Trackers Unit in the Border Defense Corps’ 300th Brigade.
We are heartbroken to report on the death of an additional IDF soldier:
Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria (45) was murdered by Hezbollah terrorists in a drone attack on Ya’ara, in northern Israel. May the memory of this brave IDF soldier forever be a blessing. 🕯️ pic.twitter.com/dxRwz0jbMO— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) August 19, 2024
The severely injured officer, also from the 300th Brigade, was evacuated to the hospital and his family was notified.
The injuries were caused by a fire that broke out after the UAV impacted in the area, hitting at least one building.
Along with the drones, 10 rockets were fired across the border at the Upper Galilee during the barrage. No injuries or damage were reported.
BREAKING 🚨
Five Israelis were injured, one critically, when a drone launched from Lebanon struck Moshav Ya’ara in northern Israel’s Western Galilee region a few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/iJBWOyuGi6
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) August 19, 2024
“Following the hostile aircraft infiltration sirens that sounded a short while ago in the Western Galilee, multiple suspicious aerial targets were identified crossing from Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces Aerial Defense Array successfully intercepted some of the targets, and others fell in the area of Ya’ara,” the IDF confirmed.
The UAV and rocket barrage came shortly after the IDF targeted Hezbollah “military” structures in the areas of Aita al-Sha’ab, Beit Leaf and Khula in Southern Lebanon. At least one Hezbollah operative was killed in the attack on Khula, Ynet reported.
The IDF confirmed on Monday afternoon that earlier in the day the Israeli Air Force “struck Hezbollah terrorists” in the area of Khula.
Hezbollah confirmed that two members of Iran’s Lebanese terror proxy were killed in the Israeli strike on Khula.
The terror army named them as Abbas Melhem from Majdal Selm and Muhammad Qaddouh from Ghandouriyeh, raising Hezbollah’s death toll since the start of the war to at least 414.
In addition, the IDF said that a launcher was struck in the area of Ayta ash Shab and Hezbollah “military” structures were hit in the areas of Ayta ash Shab and Hanine.
