-
Gallant Escalates: Israeli Army Moves from Defeating Hezbollah to Destroying It
-
The Israeli Defense Minister's statements about destroying Hezbollah reflect a strategic shift in the Israeli position, which could lead to greater escalation and prolongation of the conflict
The border area between Lebanon and Israel has witnessed an unprecedented escalation in recent days, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announcing the Israeli army's transition from defeating Hezbollah to destroying it. Gallant confirmed in his statements on Sunday that the Israeli army is blowing up Hezbollah tunnels, destroying ammunition depots, and dismantling the party's infrastructure.
This escalation translated on the ground with the Israeli warplanes launching dozens of raids on multiple Lebanese areas, including the southern suburb of Beirut, Hezbollah's stronghold.
The Lebanese official National News Agency reported that Israeli raids targeted more than 50 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, in addition to raids on the city of Nabatieh and the southern suburb of Beirut.
In contrast, the Israeli army announced the detection of about 70 projectiles launched from Lebanon towards Israel within minutes, confirming that the air defense system intercepted some of them. The army said it targeted "a command headquarters for Hezbollah's intelligence along with an underground weapons production workshop in Beirut."
This escalating escalation since September 23 has resulted in the killing of at least 1,454 people in Lebanon by Israeli fire, according to a count conducted by Agence France-Presse. It has also caused the displacement of more than one million people, according to Lebanese authorities, while the United Nations recorded the displacement of about 700,000 people.
This escalation comes at a sensitive time, with growing fears of the conflict expanding to include the entire region. The current situation raises questions about the possibility of reaching a calm in the near future, especially with statements by Israeli officials indicating the intention to continue military operations against Hezbollah.
Amid these developments, international concern is emerging regarding the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and the increasing number of civilian casualties, which calls for urgent international action to stop the escalation and prevent the conflict from turning into a full-scale war that could have dire consequences for the entire region.
Levant-Agencies
