By Said Amori
JERUSALEM (AA) — The Israeli army threatened late Sunday to attack "important economic assets" of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"The air force will launch extensive strikes on targets in the southern suburb of Beirut, targeting Hezbollah-linked economic assets," Daniel Hagari, the army spokesperson, said in a news conference.
"In a few minutes, we will issue warnings to residents in the southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley to evacuate several buildings located near Hezbollah facilities,” Avichay Adaree, the army's spokesperson in Arabic, said on X.
Israel has mounted a huge air campaign in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing more than 1,500 people and displacing more than 1.34 million.
The aerial campaign is an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of its offensive on the Gaza Strip, in which Israel has killed more than 42,600 people, most of them women and children, since a Hamas attack last year.
Israel expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala