Five significant escalations between Hezbollah and Israel since October

On Sunday, Hezbollah launched its largest attack on Israel

A Hezbollah drone from Lebanon is intercepted by an Israeli fighter jet near the countries' border. EPA

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Arch foes Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in daily exchanges of fire across the Lebanese border since October, running in parallel with Israel's brutal war on Gaza.

Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli positions on October 8, in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas in Gaza. Since then the exchanges of fire have steadily increased in scope and intensity.

On Sunday, Hezbollah launched its largest assault, targeting 11 Israeli military sites with more than 320 Katyusha rockets, according to a statement published by the group. But it is just one of many escalations in the tit-for-tat conflict.

Here are five of the most significant escalatory attacks since the war began:

1) Israel assassinates Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al Arouri in Beirut

On January 2, Israel assassinated Hamas deputy political leader Saleh Al Arouri in a strike in Beirut's southern suburbs. The top official was killed alongside six others in a drone strike on one of the group's offices in the first attack on the Lebanese capital since October 8.

It marked a major escalation in a conflict that had been contained in the border areas until then. Many Hamas officials are based in Lebanon, but Mr Al Arouri was the most senior.

His killing came only days before Israel assassinated Wissam Tawil, a top commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan force. At the time, he was the most senior Hezbollah official killed since the war started.

2) Iran and allies respond to attack on Damascus consulate

Iran fired a barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel in April, that came after Tehran had vowed to retaliate for an Israeli strike on its Damascus embassy compound on April 1 that killed two senior Iranian commanders and other members of its elite force.

Hezbollah announced it had fired rockets at Israeli positions in the occupied Golan Heights at about the same time, as well as a second barrage hours later.

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah had pledged that Iran will retaliate against Israel, describing its attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus as a “turning point”.

3) Hezbollah launches 215 rockets after commander killed

Hezbollah launched a major barrage of rockets on Israel in June in response to the assassination of a senior commander from the Lebanese armed group overnight. Israel's military reported about 215 projectiles had been fired into the country from Lebanon, while Hezbollah said it had launched dozens of rockets at various targets.

Hezbollah named its commander killed in the Israeli strike as Sami Abdallah – also known as Abu Taleb. He was assassinated in the village of Jouaiya, about 15km from the Israeli border, and was a senior commander in south Lebanon.

4) Israel assassinates top Hezbollah commander

In July, Israel assassinated Hezbollah's top military commander Fouad Shukr in a strike on Beirut's suburbs, only the second time the Lebanese capital has been targeted since October. Multiple civilians were also killed.

Mr Shukr is the most senior Hezbollah commander to be killed since Mustafa Badreddine was assassinated in Syria in 2016.

Israel claimed Mr Shukr ordered the strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children days before, and described the strike on Beirut as revenge for that attack. Hezbollah has denied any responsibility for that explosion.

5) Hezbollah launches largest attacks yet on Israel

Hezbollah launched more than 300 rockets and drones against Israel on Sunday in what it called the first retaliation for the killing of Mr Shukr. The attacks were preceded by pre-emptive Israeli strikes and then targeted responses.

Hezbollah said it targeted 11 Israeli military sites with more than 320 Katyusha rockets, with most of its projectiles launched against military bases in the Galilee region of northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.