"Readiness to shift from defense to attack," with this title, the Israeli army announced the completion of what it described as "another phase" in its preparations for war at the Lebanese border, based on intensifying mutual shelling with Hezbollah.
**Reservist Mobilization**
The Israeli army published a statement on its website, declaring that in recent days, another phase of preparations by the northern command for war has been completed. It explained that these logistical measures enable what it said was the immediate call-up of reservists during emergencies and their arrival at the front lines in a short period equipped with all necessary combat gear.
It noted that leaders of regular units and reserve units are ready for mobilization and can supply all required fighters with equipment within just a few hours, then transport them to the front lines to perform defensive and offensive tasks.
This statement came just hours after Israel announced it carried out an airstrike on the village of Sartaniya in southern Lebanon, resulting in the death of three individuals, including a field leader of the Radwan Force, an elite unit of the Lebanese Hezbollah group. The Lebanese media agency reported that Hezbollah mourned one of its members, Abdul Amir Hassan Halawi, nicknamed Ali al-Ridha, born in 1976 in the town of Kfarkela in southern Lebanon.
On Sunday morning, Israel also launched airstrikes in Baalbek province in eastern Lebanon, according to a source close to Hezbollah, while the Israeli army confirmed the targeting of Hezbollah positions following the downing of an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon.
**Ongoing Tensions**
Since the outbreak of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, there has been almost daily mutual shelling across the Lebanese-Israeli border between Hezbollah, a Hamas ally, and the Israeli army. Hezbollah claims it launches attacks in support of Hamas in its war against Israel, targeting Israeli military sites. Meanwhile, Israel states that it responds to sources of fire, targeting military officials of both Hezbollah and Hamas.
Since the beginning of mutual shelling, at least 359 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 236 Hezbollah members and 70 civilians, according to a toll compiled by AFP based on data from the group and official Lebanese sources. On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and eight civilians have been killed by fire originating from Lebanon, according to the Israeli army.
