The IDF Spokesman on Wednesday night announced that Israeli fighter jets attacked Hezbollah terrorist targets in more than 10 different areas in southern Lebanon. Among the attacked targets were warehouses, military buildings, and a launcher.
The Lebanese news outlet El Nashra on Thursday suggested Israel is intensifying its attacks on southern Lebanon to force Hezbollah’s hand and escalate the war of attrition between the two sides into an all-out war.
“More than three weeks have passed since the Israeli targeting of the southern suburbs of Beirut and the assassination of Hezbollah’s military commander Fouad Shukr, which Hezbollah considered a crime … and threatened an ‘inevitable’ response to it,” El Nashra wrote, adding, “However, the paradox that many note in this context lies in the fact that the delay in the response, which Hezbollah considered, through its Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, to be ‘part of the response and part of the punishment,’ did not succeed in ‘dissuading’ Israel from continuing its offensive operations against Lebanon.”
Instead, El Nashra notes, Israel has been “escalating the attacks at an almost unprecedented pace, whether at the level of the areas being targeted, especially in the Bekaa and Sidon, or at the level of activating the weapon of assassinations.”
“Knowing that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that ‘the attacks we carried out deep inside Lebanon are a preparation for any developments that may occur,’ does this not pave the way for new developments on the confrontation line inside Lebanon, which some say has entered a new phase, with the end of the ‘targets bank’ in Gaza, and where is Hezbollah’s response in the midst of all this?”
“Those familiar with Hezbollah say that it realizes the Israeli side may at this stage be looking to lure Lebanon into a large and comprehensive war, especially since it has exhausted its targets bank in Gaza, and therefore Hezbollah refuses to fall into the trap, and is hesitant in its response, taking into consideration hitting targets that would not lead to the fulfillment of the Israeli desire to go to war, but without appearing at the same time to be merely retaliating, which would expose it to criticism,” El Nashra speculates.
“In general, what may be striking in light of the anticipation of Hezbollah’s response, which some say has been greatly delayed, is that the Israeli side, in return, is increasing the pace of its operations and targeting, with the direct provocation of Hezbollah, which was evident in the past two days in particular,” the article continues.
“According to those in the know, it is no longer hidden from anyone that the Israeli side, by expanding the radius of its targets is sending clear messages to all that it is ready for a comprehensive war, especially after it has become more flexible following ten months of isolating Gaza. The Israeli side may have become ready to expand the battle, even if it reaches the limits of a broad and comprehensive war.”
“It has become clear to many that what comes next will not be the same as what came before,” El Nashra concludes, stressing that “it is no secret that no one wants a comprehensive war, except perhaps the Israeli side who is thirsty for more blood!”
