Israel Is Closer Than Ever To Renew War On Lebanon (Videos)

Illustrative image. (Israeli Defense Forces)

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on September 18 carried out one of its largest waves of strikes against Lebanon since a ceasefire brokered by the United States entered into effect last November.

The strikes were carried out in two main waves, following evacuation warnings issued by the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee to residents of five towns in southern Lebanon that are known to be strongholds of Hezbollah: Mays al-Jabal, Kfar Tebnit, Dibbin, Chehabiyeh and Burj Qalaouiyah.

In a statement released later, the IDF said that the strikes targeted several weapon depots belonging to the group’s elite Radwan Force.

“The Hezbollah terror organization continues its attempts to restore terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon, especially the Radwan unit with the aim of harming the State of Israel,” the military added.

The IDF claimed that Hezbollah’s efforts to restore the Radwan Force are a violation of the ceasefire, which was brokered by the U.S. on November 27.

“IDF troops have been operating over the past two years against the unit’s attempts to recover and rebuild its strength,” the military concluded.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry later announced that at least 12 civilians were injured when one of the Israeli strikes hit a building in the southern town of Nabatieh. No casualties were reported in other targeted areas.

Earlier, the IDF said that a drone strike that hit the northeastern Lebanese area of Baalbek a day earlier killed an operative of Hezbollah, Hussein Sharif. The military claimed that the man was a senior weapons dealer and supplier, and worked from Lebanon to direct “terror cells” in Syria to carry out attacks against Israel.

The actions of Sharif “constituted a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF said in a statement.

The IDF continued to launch strikes against Hezbollah post the ceasefire, and even kept troops at five strategic boats in southern Lebanon. Still, the latest strikes represent an unusual escalation by Israel due to their scale and the fact that evacuation warnings were issued, a measure typical during large-scale operations. Thus, it is very possible that the strikes were just the start of something much bigger.

Israel is clearly trying to mount more pressure on Hezbollah, which has so far refused to disarm inline with a U.S. proposal officially adopted by the Lebanese government earlier this month.

Hezbollah Secretary Naim Qassem affirmed that the group will not back down from its stance against Israel in a televised address on September 17 meant to mark the first anniversary of the beeper attack, which resembled the opening strike of an all-out Israeli war on Lebanon last year.

“You stand at the loftiest rank knowing with certainty that ‘Israel’ will fall, for it is built on occupation, injustice, and crime. Yet the resistance will confront it until liberation, treading the path of the two glorious destinies: victory or martyrdom. And in this lies an everlasting triumph,” the leader said, addressing those wounded in the attack.

In addition to the increasing pressure from Israel and the U.S., Hezbollah’s stance against the government’s disarmament plan received little to no support from everyone in Lebanon, aside from the Shiite Amal Movement. Even former allies of the group, like the Maronite Free Patriotic Movement have shown support for the plan.

The internal pressure on Hezbollah manifested last month when Ashraf Rifi, a Sunni Member of the Parliament, and other anti-Hezbollah lawmakers filed a complaint accusing Qassem “of inciting civil war, stirring sectarian tensions, and rebelling against the state.” Such a move was unthinkable prior to the last Israeli war.

In general, the situation is suitable for Israel to renew its war on Hezbollah, and while a new invasion seems unlikely to happen now as the IDF is conducting a major offensive against Hamas – a close ally of the group – in the Gaza Strip, a large-scale aerial operation is possible. The group will likely, however, fight back if Israel opted to escalate like this.

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