From exploding pagers to Iranian missiles: How Israel's war on Hezbollah escalated

A fortnight of intense escalation saw retaliatory border strikes with Hezbollah turn into an open-ended war that threatens to drag in Iran

Iranians celebrate on a street after Tehran's attack on Israel on Tuesday evening. AFP

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Iran fired more than 100 missiles into Israeli territory on Tuesday night, with footage showing the projectiles streaking across the skies of Tel Aviv. Residents were ordered to remain close to bomb shelters, a man was killed in the occupied West Bank and two were injured by shrapnel in Tel Aviv.

The missile attack is the latest episode of escalation and comes hours after the Israeli army announced it was launching an invasion of southern Lebanon. The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah reached new heights after a wave of Israeli attacks and strikes on Lebanon over the past weeks, culminating in the killing of the leader of the Lebanese group, Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday.

Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in a daily exchange of fire since October 8, a day after the group announced its support for Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel's war has killed more than 41,600 people after a Hamas-led attack on Israel killed 1,200.

But fighting between the two intensified significantly in mid-September when communications devices exploded, sending shockwaves through the country. Even before the cross-border strikes became a full-scale war, more than 1,000 people were killed in Lebanon over the past two weeks, while more than a million have been displaced.

How did we get here?

September 17 – Pager attack

Hundreds of pagers, mostly belonging to Hezbollah members, exploded almost simultaneously in Beirut, south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, killing at least 12 people. Chaotic scenes emerged after the blasts as the sophisticated attack, blamed on Israel, sent shockwaves across the country. Medics described gruesome and critical wounds among the injured including missing eyes and limbs. Earlier in the day, Israel had announced a new war aim – the return of thousands of displaced Israelis to the north of their nation.

September 18 – Walkie-talkies

Another wave of explosions of communications devices killed at least 20 and injured hundreds. The explosions caused unease in Lebanon as residents braced for further escalation. The pagers were labelled with the name of Taiwanese maker Gold Apollo, while the walkie-talkies bore the branding of Osaka-based Icom. Security sources told The National that the operation was planned to happen alongside an Israeli ground invasion but it was brought forward due to indications that the plan would soon be uncovered.

September 20 – First strike on Dahieh

Israeli strikes destroyed a residential building Beirut's southern suburb of Dahieh, killing at least 31 people, including senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil – who Israel said was the target of the attack. Ahmed Wahbi, who oversaw the military operations of the group's Radwan special forces during the Gaza war until early 2024, was also killed. Images from Dahieh showed plumes of smoke over the area. Clips shared on social media portrayed scenes of chaos, a building completely levelled and mangled cars across a busy street.

September 22 – Rhetoric increases

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened more military action against Hezbollah while the group's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, said it has entered an “open-ended battle of reckoning” with Israel. Hezbollah and Israel exchanged heavy fire with the military saying it hit about 290 targets in southern Lebanon.

September 23 – Death toll surges

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley killed at least 492 people, including 35 children and 58 women, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, making it the deadliest day for Lebanon in decades. Hezbollah fired about 200 rockets, most of which were intercepted by Israel, while an Israeli strike on Dahieh is aimed at Ali Karaki, Hezbollah's southern front commander. He survives the attack.

September 24 – Thousands displaced

Entire families are wiped out in intense Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley. Thousands of people in southern and eastern Lebanon fled their homes.

September 25 – Missile launched at Tel Aviv for first time

Hezbollah announces the death of its head of missiles and rockets, Ibrahim Qubaisi, as it launches a missile towards Tel Aviv for the first time. The missile was intercepted by Israeli defence systems. The Israeli army calls on more reserves for the north to prepare for a possible ground offensive into southern Lebanon.

September 26 – Urgent ceasefire plans fail

US, France and other states propose a 21-day ceasefire plan between Israel and Hezbollah that is quickly rejected by Israeli officials, including Mr Netanyahu. Israel says it carried out more than 200 strikes across Lebanon, killing 92 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. At least 19 of the 92 killed in the strikes were Syrian labourers working in Lebanon's north-eastern town of Younin in the Baalbek-Hermel province. Sixteen women and children were among the dead, the town's Mayor Ali Qassass told The National.

September 27 – Strikes target Hezbollah top leaders

Mr Netanyahu delivers a speech at the UN General Assembly vowing to continue fighting on several fronts and threatening to attack Iran and its proxies. Several hours later, the military announces it hit the headquarters of Hezbollah as strikes level residential buildings in southern Beirut.

September 28 – Nasrallah announced dead

The Israeli military announces the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the strike, which is later confirmed by the group, marking an unprecedented escalation.

September 29 – Strikes on Iran-back Houthi group

Israel launched strikes on the Yemeni city of Hodeidah, killing at least four people and injuring 29, the Houthi-run Health Ministry said. Israel's military said dozens of its aircraft had attacked targets in Ras Isa and Hodeidah, both held by the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group, including power stations and oil infrastructure, in retaliation for recent Houthi attacks on Israel. Hezbollah confirmed the death of Karaki in the same attack that killed Nasrallah.

September 30 – Threat of ground invasion

At least four people were killed in an Israeli air strike on an apartment block near the Cola Bridge in Beirut, the first attack on the city centre in the current conflict. Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told troops on the country's northern border that Israel is willing to "use all of our capabilities, including you”, the latest sign that Israel is considering large-scale ground operations in southern Lebanon. A Lebanese soldier was also killed in southern Lebanon, marking the first death among the army since the latest escalation.

October 1 – Iran strikes Israel

The Israeli army announced it launched a ground invasion and warned residents of nearly 30 villages in south Lebanon to leave their homes immediately. Iran fired more than 100 missiles at Israel, and air raid sirens sounded across the country. One man died in the occupied West Bank.