After killing 37 people and wounding nearly 3,000 in a complex intelligence operation against Hezbollah militias, Israel announced the start of a “new phase” in the war on the northern front, bordering Lebanon, whose stated objective is to allow the return to their homes of Israelis living near the border.
In addition to deploying more troops to the region, hours later on Thursday evening, Israel bombarded southern Lebanon for two hours, attacking Hezbollah targets, including 100 rocket launchers and other infrastructure, according to an army statement.
This Friday, the Israeli armed forces continued the escalation with a new attack in Beirut, the capital, during which 31 people were killed, including one of the organization’s military leaders, Ibrahim Aqil, the group’s head of operations. The attack left at least 68 injured.
The United States had offered a $7 million reward in 2023 for information leading to the arrest of Aqil, whom it considers to be one of those responsible for the 1983 Hezbollah attack on the American embassy in Beirut and the American army barracks in the capital.
The militia also confirmed on Saturday the deaths of three other special forces commanders: Ahmed Wahbi, who oversaw military operations during the Gaza war, Abu Yaser Atar and Al Hajj Nineveh. According to the Israeli army, at least a dozen Hezbollah members died alongside Aqil.
Defense Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi met with the commander of the army’s Northern Command on Friday, but after the bombing of Beirut, the armed forces assured that “for the moment, there is no change in the defensive orientations,” even though it is clear that Israel has taken a step forward in its confrontation with Hezbollah.
Israeli media reported that Northern Command Commander Ori Gordin was pushing to launch a ground operation and create a security zone in Israeli-controlled southern Lebanon. After Wednesday’s beeper blasts, Gordon visited his troops near the border and said, “The mission is clear. We are determined to change the security reality as quickly as possible.” “The commitment of the commanders and their forces is total and the preparation for any required mission has reached a climax,” he said.
“In the new phase of the war, there are great opportunities, but also great risks,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday. “We had a number of important discussions and, therefore, military operations on the northern border will continue,” he added.
“The next phase of operations will continue until we achieve our objective: the safe return of northern residents to their homes,” Gallant said Friday.
The focus has shifted, and the northern front has become the main talking point of the war. Two well-known former generals, considered center-left in Israel, are advocating a ground incursion aimed at driving Hezbollah out of areas from which it can attack Israel with rockets. “When two respected center-left generals, Yair Golan and Israel Ziv, talk about the need for a ground operation, one gets the feeling that it is only a matter of time.” Aaron David Miller said on Twitterformer American negotiator in the conflict.
Hezbollah’s response
Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched about 200 rockets against northern Israel in several waves on Friday, without causing any injuries. On Thursday, Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah called the operation that blew up thousands of communications devices belonging to Lebanese militias a “declaration of war,” but the group’s strategy has not changed and continues to launch attacks in response to the Israeli offensive in Gaza, but trying to avoid an open war with Israel.
“Iran and Hezbollah’s decision to stick to the ‘response equation’ [ataque por ataque evitando un enfrentamiento total] “Leaves it up to Israel to decide whether and when to launch an open war,” analyst Zvi Bar’el told Haaretz newspaper. “And given Hezbollah’s behavior, Israel will also have to address the issues of the domestic and international legitimacy of such a war as long as Hezbollah gives no reason to launch one.”
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Friday that he believed war was still “not inevitable.” “There is time and space for a diplomatic solution. War is not inevitable, and we will continue to do everything we can to try to prevent it.” Kirby said Israel did not inform Washington in advance of the Beirut attack.
Daniel Levy, a former Israeli negotiator under Ehud Barak and Isaac Rabin in several peace processes and current president of the US/Middle East Project think tank, told elDiario.es a few weeks ago that the “American bet” has not been to try to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, but to try to contain Iran and Hezbollah and thus avoid a regional conflict.
“The Israeli side under Netanyahu continues to play the role of the most unpredictable and escalating power, but it probably does not want a massive escalation that would have serious consequences on its domestic front and that would be more likely to generate strong momentum in favor of a total ceasefire,” which runs counter to Netanyahu’s preference for open warfare,” Levy said.
