A 27-year-old man, Braen Direktor, was killed on Thursday in a rocket barrage in Nahariya, a northern Israeli city near the Lebanese border, as US envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Israel to push for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. The rocket attack, which targeted several locations in northern Israel, also injured two women. The attack struck Nahariya’s playground, where the victim had taken cover, and although most of the rockets were intercepted, some caused damage in the area.
The escalation occurred while Hochstein was in Jerusalem, following two days of discussions in Lebanon. He met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, to discuss a potential agreement that could bring an end to the fighting. Hochstein has been working on a deal to secure a buffer zone in southern Lebanon and prevent Hezbollah from rearming, though the Israeli military insists that any agreement must allow continued strikes against Hezbollah if necessary.
In response to the escalating violence, the IDF launched airstrikes in Beirut and Tyre in Lebanon, hitting Hezbollah strongholds after Hochstein left the Lebanese capital. The IDF had issued evacuation orders for several Lebanese areas, warning civilians to flee as the airstrikes targeted Hezbollah facilities.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensified in late September following continued rocket and drone attacks from the Lebanese militant group. So far, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of 44 Israeli civilians, 71 IDF soldiers, and numerous casualties on the Lebanese side. Tensions remain high, with both sides bracing for further escalations.