Israel "Entering New Phase In The War"; Intensifies Bombing In Lebanon (image @DrEliDavid)
Israel unleashed one of the most intense bombing in Lebanon since the beginning of cross border hostilities between the two, which was started on October 7. The Israeli Occupation Force (IOF) said over 100 rocket launchers were destroyed. IOF said the launchers contained an estimated 1,000 rocket barrels.
The Israeli warplanes targeted the towns of Mahmoudieh, Ksar al-Aroush and Birket Jabbour in the Jezzine area on Thursday, said Lebanon’s National News Agency.
The attacks came a day after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed revenge for the series of unprecedented and deadly attack against Hezbollah operatives with the explosion of pagers, and walkie talkies. Nasrallah accused Israel of the attack, that killed over 37, and injured nearly 3,000.
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The Hezbollah chief called the attack a “massacre”, and warned that Israel will receive “tough retribution and just punishment”. He also added that Israel would be struck both where it expects and where it does not. Nasrallah said the pager attack crossed “all red lines”. He also added that the Iran-aligned group will continue its operation against Israel “until the aggression on Gaza stops”.
Hamas said it “highly appreciates” Hezbollah’s support and Nasrallah’s stance frustrated Israel’s “plans to undermine the support front of our people and resistance in the Gaza Strip”.
Yoav Gallant, the defence minister of Israel, said the country was entering a “new phase in the war”, indicating the Gaza war to expand to northern border with Lebanon. Promising that Hezbollah would “pay an increasing price”, Gallant said “the sequence of our military actions will continue”. Israel did not respond to the device explosion yet.
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The cross-border fighting has made thousands to flee from both sides of the border.
Before the device explosion in Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel were at the edge, with the Iran-aligned group pledging retaliation for the assassination of its commander Fuad Shukur in Beirut. Iran also promised strong retaliation, to avenge the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
A preliminary investigation by the Lebanese authorities found the pagers and walkie-talkies were implanted with explosives before arriving in the country, according to a letter by the Lebanese mission to the United Nations that was seen by Reuters. The authorities also determined that the devices were ere detonated via electronic messages, as per the letter sent to the UN Security Council.
According to experts, the device explosion, that took place across Lebanon likely constitute to a breach of the laws of war. It includes the possible violation of prohibitions on indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks, as the attacks have killed dozens of people and injured thousands more.
