In the largest assault on the Iranian-supported group, Hizbullah, in southern Lebanon since the commencement of the Gaza conflict in October, both Israel and Hizbullah are reporting significant progress. Early on Sunday, approximately 100 Israeli aircraft staged a surprise attack, striking numerous Hizbullah rockets, launching sites, and drones at 40 distinct locales across southern Lebanon. Israel states that they acted just prior to when Hizbullah was expected to retaliate against Israel in response to the killing of Fuad Shukr, Hizbullah’s top military official in Beirut earlier this month.
Israel maintains that Hizbullah had planned to fire hundreds of rockets at northern Israel’s settlements while simultaneously targeting Mossad’s headquarters and a crucial intelligence base in Israel’s center. Hizbullah returned fire with 210 rockets and 20 drones, but Israel asserts they were intercepted and that no military facilities were stricken. An Israeli navy soldier was killed on a ship off the northern coast of Israel, likely due to falling debris from a rocket interception.
Hizbullah hinted that the attacks might be momentarily halted while not ruling out future actions even as the offensive ratcheted up concerns of broader clashes. Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, clarified that although Israel averted Hizbullah’s projected attack, “this is not the conclusion of the tale”.
The Israeli military had kept a close watch on Hizbullah’s activities and gathered intelligence for a few weeks. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed to have identified unusual activities by the Shia militants near short-range rocket launching areas on Saturday night. Netanyahu informed his cabinet ministers on Sunday that the IDF had “demolished thousands of short-range rockets and intercepted every Hizbullah-launched drone aimed at a strategic central target”. He emphasised that Israel was “determined to do everything to safeguard our nation, to ensure the safe return of northern residents to their residences, and to uphold a fundamental principle: we counterattack anyone who attacks us”.
In a broadcasted speech last Sunday, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Islamist organization Hizbullah, revealed that they elected to attack military bases close to Tel Aviv, such as the Glilot military base, instead of targeting civilian zones or infrastructure in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of their top chief. The Glilot base is the headquarters location for the esteemed 8200 intelligence division of the Israel army.
Nasrallah refuted the claim of an Israeli preventative strike that allegedly stopped the assault, and stated that numerous targets in Israeli were hit by Hizbullah’s drones, asserting that this signified the conclusion of Hizbullah’s response.
These two differing accounts create an opportunity for both factions to draw the current conflict to a close. This would alleviate rising concerns about an inevitable increase in regional tensions. But Hizbullah has asserted that low intensity cross-border skirmishes will endure whilst the war in Gaza carries on.
Hamas extolled Hizbullah’s operation, labeling it a ‘significant tactical response’ that struck ‘strategic and crucial targets’ within Israel. Yemen’s Houthi movement also lauded Hizbullah’s ‘bold and sizeable assault’.
All Irish personnel stationed in Lebanon are safe, according to Micheál Martin, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, during a statement released last Sunday. Presently, about 375 personnel are located at the Unifil headquarters in Naqoura and Shama, South Lebanon.
Despite the Northern front intensifying last Sunday, efforts persist to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. Officials including the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Prime Minister of Qatar, and the Israeli intelligence chiefs travelled to Cairo for further discussions. Hamas remains resolute in calling for a blanket end to the war and immediate withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the coastal strip.