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Strong exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, increases the risk of regional war that could also involve the US

2024-08-25 18:19:17Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA ASSOCIATED PRESS
Strong exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, increases the risk of
Heavy exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah

Israel launched a wave of airstrikes against southern Lebanon early Sunday in what it said was a pre-emptive attack on Hezbollah, after the militant group said it had fired hundreds of rockets and drones to avenge the killing of one of its top commanders. , last month.

The intense exchange of fire threatens to trigger a regional war that could draw in the United States, Iran and militant groups across the region.

The situation could also derail efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel is embroiled in a war with the Palestinian group Hamas, an ally of Hezbollah.

By the morning hours, the exchange of fire appeared to have ended, with both sides saying they had limited their attacks to military targets. But the situation remains tense and there is no information about the number of victims and the extent of the damage. At least three people were killed in the attacks in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said Hezbollah was planning to launch a heavy barrage of rockets at Israel. Soon after, Hezbollah announced it had launched an attack on Israeli military positions as an initial response to the killing of Fouad Shukuri, one of its founders, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month.

The attacks came as Egypt awaits a new round of talks aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war. Hezbollah has said it will stop fighting if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Iran supports both groups, as well as militants in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, who could join any wider conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, said the army shot down "thousands of rockets that were headed for northern Israel" and called on citizens to abide by the authorities' instructions.

"We are determined to do everything to protect our country, return northerners safely to their homes and continue to respect one simple rule: Anyone who harms us - we will harm," he said. he.

Air raid sirens were reported across northern Israel, and Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport was closed for about an hour. Israeli authorities raised the alert level in northern Israel and urged citizens to stay in shelters.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said Hezbollah intended to strike targets in northern and central Israel. He said initial assessments found "very little damage" in Israel, but the military remained on high alert. He said about 100 Israeli planes took part in Sunday's strikes.

Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that two people were killed and two others wounded in the attacks in southern Lebanon. The Amal group, which is allied with Hezbollah, said one of the group's fighters was killed in a hit on a car.

Hezbollah said it used more than 320 Katyusha rockets targeting several areas in Israel and a "large number" of drones. He said the operation targeted "a quality Israeli military target, which will be announced later," as well as "enemy sites and barracks and Israel's Iron Dome (missile defense) platforms.

Hezbollah later announced the end of what it said was the first phase of retaliatory strikes, which it said would allow it to launch more strikes deep into Israel. But in a later statement, the group said "military operations for today have ended".

The group said all the drones it launched hit their targets, but did not say how many were launched. It listed 11 bases, barracks and military positions it said it had targeted in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. He also rejected Israel's claim that its pre-emptive strikes had managed to stave off a stronger attack by Hezbollah. The group did not provide evidence for its claims.

In the US, a spokesman for the National Security Council, Sean Savett, said that President Joe Biden "is closely following developments in Israel and in Lebanon."

"Under his instructions, senior American officials have been in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts," added Mr. Savett. "We will continue to support Israel's right to defend itself and we will continue to work for regional stability."

The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli minister Yoav Gallant about Israel's defense.

In recent weeks, diplomats from the United States and European countries have made a series of visits to Israel and Lebanon in an effort to ease tensions they fear could lead to a regional war.

Hezbollah began attacks on Israel almost immediately after the start of the Gaza war, which was triggered by Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost daily, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border. Until Sunday, both sides had been careful to avoid full-scale fighting.

Hezbollah is a close ally of Iran, which has also threatened to retaliate for the killing of a senior Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in an explosion in Tehran last month that was widely blamed on Israel, which did not say if he was involved.

The United States and other mediators see a ceasefire in Gaza as key to avoiding a wider conflict in the Middle East. Egypt had planned to hold high-level talks in Cairo on Sunday aimed at bridging gaps in a developing proposal for a ceasefire and the release of many hostages held by Hamas.

The talks are expected to include CIA Director William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel, according to two Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Hamas sent a delegation to the Egyptian capital to be briefed by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, but is not participating directly in the negotiations.

The head of Israel's intelligence agency, David Barnea, was expected to attend, but officials said it was not immediately clear whether that would happen given Israel-Hezbollah tensions.


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