Hezbollah hits Israeli warship with a cruise missile off Lebanese coast

ALBAWABA- Hezbollah announced on Sunday that it struck an Israeli warship with a cruise missile about 68 nautical miles (80 km) off the Lebanese coast, marking a major escalation along Lebanon’s southern border.

In a statement, the Iran-aligned group claimed the vessel was “preparing to launch attacks on Lebanese territory.” Israeli military sources have not confirmed damage to any ship but acknowledged heightened Hezbollah activity in the Mediterranean.

The strike comes amid intensified cross-border fighting. Hezbollah has increased missile and rocket barrages into northern Israel and deployed anti-tank guided missiles against Israeli ground forces inside southern Lebanon. Israeli troops, who carried out limited incursions last month, have repeatedly faced ambushes.

In retaliation, Israel has launched extensive operations in southern Lebanon, leveling dozens of villages and border hamlets it describes as “Hezbollah strongholds and launch sites.” Satellite imagery and local reports indicate widespread destruction of communities and infrastructure.

Israeli airstrikes overnight targeted “Hezbollah operational infrastructure,” including command posts, weapons depots, and rocket launchers in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, causing civilian casualties and damage to residential areas.

The month-long border war is entering a more dangerous phase, with Hezbollah demonstrating the ability to strike naval assets far from shore while Israel presses its ground and air campaign to degrade the group’s military capacity.