Drum Beat of Explosions in Northern Israel Continues Rapidly Overnight.

Throughout the night, a relentless series of explosions echoed as Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah positions just beyond the border in Lebanon. Israeli aircraft, including jets and helicopters, have been actively engaged, departing and returning to their bases. In this region of northern Israel, as in the rest of the country, preparations are underway to celebrate the Jewish New Year, which commences today. However, conversations with local residents reveal a subdued atmosphere. Many individuals have been displaced from their homes for nearly a year due to the persistent threat of Hezbollah rockets launched from Lebanon. Consequently, these families have sought refuge in areas considered to be at a lower risk of rocket attacks. Few can confidently forecast what the upcoming year holds for Israel, Lebanon, and the broader Middle East. In the immediate term, there are scant positive indicators. Israel has pledged to impose "grave consequences" following the Iranian missile strike from the previous night, while Tehran has threatened an even more substantial retaliation in response to any significant Israeli counteraction. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Iran will "pay" for its actions after approximately 180 missiles were launched at Israel on Tuesday. Most of these missiles were intercepted; however, one Palestinian was killed in the West Bank, and a school in central Israel along with a restaurant in Tel Aviv sustained damage. Iran has claimed that the missile attack was a reaction to Israel's "aggressive acts," which included the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. On Tuesday, Israel initiated a "limited" ground operation in southern Lebanon, and airstrikes on Beirut persisted throughout the night. Hezbollah has asserted that it successfully repelled an Israeli ground assault in southern Lebanon on Wednesday and has continued to launch rockets at Israel.