Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
People watch TV as Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivers a televised speech in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 25, 2024. Nasrallah said on Sunday that his group will continue supporting Gaza from Lebanon. Hezbollah has launched a large-scale drone attack against Israel Sunday morning, the militant group announced in a statement. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)
CAIRO, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — Israeli and Hezbollah forces engaged in intense exchanges of fire early Sunday along the Israel-Lebanon border, marking a dramatic escalation in their protracted conflict.
Hezbollah revealed that it had unleashed hundreds of missiles against Israel in vengeance for the killing of its top military commander, Fouad Shokor, in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut last month.
Also on Sunday, Israel reported conducting a series of “preemptive airstrikes” targeting Hezbollah’s rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.
The long-anticipated retaliation by Hezbollah, following Shokor’s death on July 30, has heightened global apprehension that these intensifying hostilities could ignite a broader conflict, drawing in regional and international players such as the United States and Iran.
Additionally, the violence threatens to derail ongoing ceasefire efforts in Gaza, where Israel has been embroiled in a prolonged struggle with Hamas for over 10 months.
TIT-FOR-TAT ATTACKS
During an emergency national security cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the destruction of thousands of Hezbollah rockets in a “preemptive attack.”
“This morning we detected Hezbollah’s preparations to attack Israel,” Netanyahu said. “In consultation with the defense minister and the IDF chief of staff, we instructed the IDF to act proactively to remove the threat.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that approximately 100 fighter jets carried out strikes on Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.
However, these attacks did not prevent Hezbollah from launching a large-scale assault on Israeli targets. Hezbollah reported the firing of over 320 rockets and drones at northern Israel, while the IDF confirmed that about 210 rockets and 20 drones were launched from Lebanon. Some were intercepted, while others caused damage and injuries.
In a video speech on Sunday afternoon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah denied that Israel had destroyed thousands of rocket launchers, stating that the attacks had only hit two missile launch pads.
The Israeli media reported that an Israeli soldier was killed, and a civilian sustained light injuries from Hezbollah shrapnel.
Meanwhile, Lebanese sources said that four militants were killed and six others wounded in southern Lebanon due to Israeli raids. Lebanese state media reported significant damage to homes, crops, and infrastructure in the southern part of the country, and to power and water systems in particular.
In response to the escalating tensions, Israel’s Home Front Command issued defense guidelines for Tel Aviv and northern areas. Educational and work activities may continue if safe shelter is available, but outdoor gatherings are limited to 30 people and indoor gatherings to 300. Beaches near the Lebanon border are closed.
Several airlines have announced the suspension of flights to and from Israel and Lebanon due to the escalating situation.
RESTRAINT URGED
International calls for restraint followed Sunday’s escalation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern, urging both sides to return to a cessation of hostilities.
His call was echoed by officials in Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sufian Qudah warned that the violence in southern Lebanon could trigger a broader regional conflict and criticized ongoing “Israeli aggression” in Gaza.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty cautioned that the Israel-Hezbollah escalation threatens regional stability, calling for all parties to work towards de-escalation.
Yemen’s Houthi group and Hamas, both allies of Hezbollah, praised the Lebanese group’s actions, with the Houthis commending Hezbollah for what they described as a “significant and courageous attack” against Israel.
The U.S. National Security Council said that President Joe Biden is closely monitoring the situation and is in contact with his national security team. Biden has instructed U.S. officials to coordinate with Israel and reaffirmed support for Israel’s “right to self-defense.”
FULL-SCALE CONFLICT “UNLIKELY”
Regional analysts view the likelihood of Sunday’s escalation evolving into a full-scale conflict as low but caution that ongoing attrition could lead to unforeseen incidents.
Refaat Badawi, a political analyst and former adviser to the Lebanese prime minister, noted that Hezbollah’s retaliation was within the “engagement rules” and that Israel’s decision to highlight its success with Sunday’s preemptive strikes while refraining from further escalation indicates a desire to avoid additional conflict.
Despite the intense morning clashes, fighting has largely subsided since Sunday afternoon, with both sides mainly targeting military sites. Nasrallah said that the missiles were aimed primarily at military targets.
“The target should not be a civilian enemy or infrastructure,” he said in the aforementioned televised speech.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that Israel’s strikes on Lebanon were defensive measures against Hezbollah’s planned large-scale attack and that Israel is not seeking a full-scale war.
Eyal Zisser, vice rector at Tel Aviv University and expert on Middle Eastern affairs, observed that neither side aims for an all-out war but warned that the risk of unintended incidents could escalate the situation dramatically.
Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s commitment to retaliating against those who attack it. “We are striking Hezbollah with surprising, destructive force,” Netanyahu said.
“This is a step towards changing the situation in the north and bringing people safely back to their homes. I reiterate, this is not the end of the story,” he warned. ■
English