Lebanon Strikes: Netanyahu Hints at Further Action To Follow
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that today’s Lebanon strikes are not the last words of Israel’s military operations against Lebanon’s incorporated armed group Hezbollah.
‘We are attacking Hezbollah with what it least expects, massive and strong blows.. This is another step in the direction of changing the situation in the north and bringing back our residents without endangering their lives,’ Mr. Netanyahu said in a cabinet meeting.
“And, I repeat, this is not the final word.”
Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets and drones towards Israel this morning and in response, Israel’s military said it had flown about 100 jets over Lebanon to preempt a more substantial assault – the two sides’ largest exchange of fire in over 10 months of border skirmishing.
Missiles were seen arcing up through the early morning sky, leaving dark smoky contrails, at the same time an air raid siren wails in Israel and in the distance a blast illuminates the sky as smoke rises over houses in Khiam in southern Lebanon.
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The magnitude of the Lebanon strikes was uncertain and Hezbollah signaled that it would not conduct further attacks at the moment, whereas Israel’s foreign minister stressed that the country did not intend to engage in a large-scale war.
Any escalation of the fighting , started simultaneously with the war in Gaza, threatens to turn into a regional conflict involving Hezbollah’s sponsor – Iran on the one side , and Israel’s main ally- the United States on the other.
The Lebanon strikes occurred at the time international delegations were in Cairo in a final round of talks to try and establish a cease-fire in Gaza.
Tel Aviv Flights Paused Briefly After Due To Lebanon Strikes
Israel’s cabinet convened at 7.00 am local time (5.00 am Irish time).
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant called a state of emergency and Foreign Minister Israel Katz made it clear that while the nation would act according to the events on the ground it did not want a full scale war.
Aviation sources said that all the flights entering and leaving Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv were halted for approximately 90 minutes.
“We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes and to continue to uphold a simple rule: As you are harming us – we will harm you,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Najib Mikati, Lebanon caretaker prime minister, with some cabinet ministers discussed the matter in a recent session of the national emergency committee. The head of the Hezbollah group, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, will address the nation later today through the television set according to the announcement made by the group.
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The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon and the office of UN special coordinator in the country urged all parties to quit soiling the air and referred to the events observed during the night as ‘concerning’.
Such expectations arose since Israel killed 12 youngsters through a missile strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last month and the Israeli military assassinated Shukr in Beirut.
Israel’s Army Radio, backed by the defence officials, said that the military stated that the Hezbollah attack on northern Israel was quite spontaneous after Israel had launched the air raid on the Hezbollah sites.
Lebanon Strikes Escalated The Regional Tension
US President Joe Biden was closely following developments, the White House said.
“At his direction, top tiers of the US administration have been talking to their counterparts in Israel all the time,” NSC press secretary Sean Savett said.
“We will keep restoring Israel’s right for self-defense and we will keep pursuing the peace and stability in the region.”
Hezbollah launched missiles into Israel soon after the Hamas gunmen attacked Targets in Israel on 7th October. Since then Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged fire repeatedly, but have not gone to war, as there is war in Gaza to the south.
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That delicate balance seemed to be upset after the incident in the Golan Heights which Hezbollah has disclaimed responsibility for and the subsequent assassination of Shukr, one of Hezbollah’s most important military leaders.
Shukr was next pronounced dead from an air strike while the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, assured reprisals against this nation from Iran.
