Hezbollah strikes back/ Nasrallah promises retaliation/ Israel-Hezbollah border conflict/ Newslooks/ Beruit/ Lebanon/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, vowed retaliation against Israel after sabotage attacks on Hezbollah’s communication devices. Nasrallah promised continued strikes on Israel, demanding the end of its aggression in Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, has intensified its military efforts along the Lebanon border, further escalating tensions.
Hezbollah Retaliation Threatens Escalation Quick Looks
- Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, vowed continued strikes on Israel in retaliation for attacks on communication devices.
- Israel has been widely blamed for targeting Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies, causing over 3,000 casualties.
- Two days of attacks on Hezbollah communications killed at least 37 people, including civilians.
- Israeli forces have intensified strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure, including rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.
- Nasrallah warned that Israelis displaced from northern border areas would not return until Israel’s war in Gaza ends.
- Israeli defense officials have hinted at possible expanded military operations against Hezbollah.
- Hezbollah’s actions are framed as support for Hamas in its ongoing war with Israel.
- Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have escalated as both sides exchange almost daily strikes.
Hezbollah Warns Israel of Retaliation Amid Border Strikes
Deep Look:
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, vowed Thursday to continue striking Israel in retaliation for the deadly sabotage of its communication devices earlier this week. Nasrallah’s remarks came as both Hezbollah and Israel launched fresh attacks across the Lebanon-Israel border, escalating tensions in a region already on edge. The attacks, which targeted thousands of Hezbollah members’ pagers and walkie-talkies, were widely attributed to Israel, though Israeli officials have neither confirmed nor denied their involvement.
During his speech, Nasrallah described the recent sabotage as a “severe blow” to Hezbollah but promised that the group would retaliate forcefully. “The enemy crossed all boundaries and red lines,” Nasrallah declared, vowing that Israel would face “severe and fair punishment.” He emphasized that the attacks on Hezbollah’s communication devices, which killed 37 people and injured around 3,000 more, were intended to deliver a massive blow to the group by targeting its members simultaneously. However, civilians were also caught in the explosions, further complicating the situation.
Hezbollah responded swiftly with four strikes on northern Israel on Thursday, killing two Israeli soldiers. Israel, in turn, carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, claiming to have destroyed rocket launchers and other Hezbollah infrastructure. While the exact casualties from these latest strikes remain unclear, the back-and-forth violence has fueled fears that the ongoing conflict could escalate into a full-scale war.
Nasrallah also vowed that Israeli civilians displaced from areas near the Lebanon border would not be able to return until the conflict in Gaza, which began 11 months ago, comes to an end. “The only way is to stop the aggression on the people of Gaza and the West Bank,” Nasrallah said. He promised that Hezbollah would continue its barrages into northern Israel for as long as the war in Gaza persists, framing Hezbollah’s actions as a show of solidarity with Hamas.
The recent attacks on Hezbollah’s communication devices are believed to be part of a monthslong Israeli operation aimed at undermining the group’s ability to coordinate its forces. Tuesday and Wednesday’s strikes, which targeted Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon, were unprecedented in scope. According to Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad, Tuesday’s explosions killed 12 people, including two children, and injured around 2,300 more. The following day, another 25 people were killed, and more than 600 were wounded.
Nasrallah expressed his group’s determination to investigate how the attacks were carried out, though he acknowledged the severity of the blow. He also condemned Israel for targeting civilians in the attacks, a sentiment echoed by Abiad, who called the strikes “indiscriminate” and labeled them a “war crime.”
The explosions caused widespread devastation across Lebanon, with devices exploding in homes, cars, and public spaces, including cafes and grocery stores. One of the most disturbing incidents occurred during a funeral for some of those killed in the first wave of attacks when another explosion rocked the ceremony, injuring several mourners. The Lebanese Army has been working to locate and detonate remaining suspicious devices, while civil aviation authorities banned pagers and walkie-talkies from all planes departing Beirut’s airport.
In Israel, defense officials have warned that Hezbollah will face increasing retaliation as the conflict intensifies. Israel has already evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from areas near the Lebanon border due to the ongoing hostilities. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has warned that Hezbollah will “pay an increasing price” for its continued strikes, suggesting that Israel may expand its military operations in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces have been shifting resources from Gaza to the north, as the border region becomes an increasingly volatile front.
Despite 11 months of near-daily exchanges of fire, Israel and Hezbollah have so far managed to avoid full-scale war, largely due to diplomatic pressure from the United States, France, and other nations. However, the escalating violence has raised concerns that this fragile balance may not hold for much longer. Speaking to Israeli soldiers earlier in the week, Gallant alluded to the possibility of a new phase in the conflict. “We are at the start of a new phase in the war,” he said, praising Israel’s military and security agencies for their effectiveness.
The situation remains volatile, and Israeli leaders have signaled that they are prepared to dramatically alter the status quo if necessary. Plans have already been drawn up for expanded military action against Hezbollah, though Israeli media reports suggest that the government has not yet decided whether to proceed with a major offensive.
For now, both sides continue to trade strikes, and with each escalation, the prospect of a broader conflict looms larger. Hezbollah’s retaliation promises, combined with Israel’s determination to protect its northern borders, leave little room for de-escalation as tensions continue to rise along the Lebanon-Israel frontier.
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