Hezbollah announced that one of its senior commanders, Mohammed Nimah Nasser, was killed in an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon.
In response, the Iran-backed group fired a barrage of rockets at Israel.
This attack marks another escalation in nearly nine months of cross-border violence between Hezbollah and Israel, raising fears of a broader conflict.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching 100 rockets and missiles at Israeli military positions as retaliation.
The Israeli military reported that some projectiles caused fires in open areas but resulted in no injuries.
Nasser, who commanded Hezbollah’s Aziz Unit responsible for launching rockets from southwestern Lebanon, was accused by Israel of directing numerous terror attacks.
He was described as the counterpart of Taleb Sami Abdullah, another unit commander killed by Israel last month, which led Hezbollah to launch over 200 rockets into northern Israel in a single day.
Diplomatic efforts involving the UN and US are ongoing to de-escalate tensions, warning of the catastrophic consequences of a potential war that could involve Iran and other allied groups.
Since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began on October 7, there have been almost daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border.
Hezbollah, supporting the Iranian-backed Palestinian group Hamas, has been involved in these exchanges.
Israeli officials have repeatedly stated their readiness to use military force if diplomacy fails to restore security along the northern border.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized Israel’s preparedness for any necessary action in Lebanon, though he expressed a preference for a diplomatic arrangement.
Hezbollah, while heavily armed and considered a superior foe compared to Hamas, has stated it does not seek a full-scale war with Israel and will observe any ceasefire in Gaza.
So far, the conflict has resulted in over 400 deaths in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters, and 25 deaths in Israel, primarily soldiers.
The violence has also displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border.
