Shortly before the start of operations, the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation order, calling on civilians to immediately leave areas of Beirut and southern Lebanon
A new military escalation is in full swing across the Middle East, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launching a fierce wave of attacks across the entirety of Lebanon, targeting critical infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah. Just prior to the commencement of these operations, the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation order, instructing civilians to immediately vacate specific sectors of Beirut and southern Lebanon, signaling the massive scale of the impending mission. These strikes follow Israeli reports confirming the death of Hussein Makled, the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters. This development comes after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to the militant group, stating that its leader, Naim Qassem, is now a high-priority target for assassination. Concurrently, the Lebanese government has moved to restrict Hezbollah activities, urging the group to surrender its arsenal following its direct involvement in the Iranian-led conflict via strikes against Israel. The US embassy in Beirut has reiterated its urgent plea for American citizens to evacuate Lebanon immediately as the security situation deteriorates.
Timeline of the attack
Israel responded to an unprecedented Hezbollah assault involving rockets and drones launched against a strategic military installation in Haifa. Hezbollah—which operates autonomously from the Lebanese central government—executed a combined rocket and drone strike against a military base near Haifa in northern Israel. The organization characterized the operation as a direct retaliation for the assassination of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as an act "in defense of Lebanon and its people" and a response to "repeated Israeli aggressions." In an official communique, the leadership of the "resistance" emphasized that the ongoing aggression and the targeted killings of leaders and civilians grant the group the right to self-defense at a "suitable time and place." They further asserted that the "israeli enemy" cannot persist in a 15-month campaign without facing a deterrent response aimed at halting aggression and forcing a withdrawal from occupied Lebanese lands. Despite a ceasefire agreement brokered in November 2024, Hezbollah alleged that Israel had been violating the terms on a near-daily basis. Until this point, the organization had largely refrained from retaliatory actions, calling on the Lebanese government to protect the nation’s sovereignty, but the situation has now reached a critical breaking point.
Israel's threats of a ground invasion
The response from the IDF was both immediate and overwhelming. Israeli fighter jets carried out extensive sorties, bombing southern Beirut, various villages in southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley to the east. An Israeli general stated that the military is striking Hezbollah "vigorously" throughout Lebanon, accusing the group of dismantling the Lebanese state and bearing the "sole responsibility" for the current escalation. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued an exceptionally blunt statement via the social media platform X, declaring that Hezbollah would pay a "heavy price" and confirming that Secretary-General Naim Qassem is now marked for assassination: "Anyone who follows the path of Khamenei will soon find themselves in the depths of hell along with all the neutralized members of the axis of evil. We will not return to the rules of engagement that existed prior to October 7; we will defend the residents of the north with full force." Echoing these sentiments, IDF Chief Eyal Zamir warned that the current campaign is likely to persist for "several days." Furthermore, an Israeli security source informed the Saudi outlet Al-Hadath that the operation is intended to be "broad and comprehensive" and may escalate into a ground invasion, clarifying that no immunity will be granted to the group's political or military cadres, nor to its active supporters.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών