Israeli Strikes Thwart Hezbollah Missile Attack in Southern Lebanon
Israeli officials and media expressed satisfaction on Monday as pre-emptive Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon appeared to have largely thwarted a long-expected missile attack by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement. Both Hezbollah and Israel seemed content to consider Sunday’s attack, in retaliation for the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut last month, settled for the time being.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer described the Israeli strikes as a “crushing blow” to Hezbollah but emphasized the need for a longer-lasting solution. He stated that the current situation, with tens of thousands of people evacuated from their homes in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, is not sustainable. Mencer assured that Israel will do what is necessary to return its population to its sovereign territory.
The hopes of children returning to school in September have been dashed, as financial assistance for evacuated residents has been extended until September 30. However, there is some optimism that the exchange of fire, which did not cause extensive damage as feared, might aid talks aimed at halting the fighting in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli and foreign hostages.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has made it clear that it will not agree to a deal that allows Israeli troops to remain in the southern edge of the Gaza Strip along the border with Egypt. However, some commentators believe that Sunday’s exchange of fire could demonstrate Hamas’s lack of support to expand the conflict beyond Gaza.
Avi Issacharoff, a commentator in Israel’s biggest-selling daily Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote, “Maybe — just maybe — Israel’s success at foiling Hezbollah’s retaliation might pave the way to concessions by Hamas in the negotiations over a hostage deal, given the failed bid to see the war expanded to engulf the entire region.”
On Sunday, around 100 Israeli jets targeted dozens of Hezbollah launch sites in southern Lebanon, destroying thousands of rockets aimed at Israel. Although Hezbollah launched hundreds of missiles, most were intercepted or fell in open areas. The exchanges of fire continued on Monday but were less intense.
Israel reported striking a Hezbollah military structure in southern Lebanon and intercepting several suspicious aerial targets that entered its territory from Lebanon. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Hezbollah denied that its response to the killing of its senior commander, Fuad Shukr, had been defused but stated that the operation had been successfully completed, raising hopes that the incident could be put behind them, at least for now.
Iran, which has vowed retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, also stated that it is not seeking to escalate regional tensions.
In conclusion, the Israeli strikes successfully thwarted the anticipated missile attack by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. While the situation remains tense, both sides seem willing to consider the matter settled for now. The hope is that this exchange of fire could potentially contribute to resolving the conflict in Gaza and securing the release of hostages. Only time will tell if this incident will lead to concessions by Hamas and pave the way for a peaceful resolution in the region.