September 30th 2024.
Israel has recently conducted small-scale ground operations against Hezbollah and is now preparing for a larger operation in Lebanon. US officials have been informed of these ground raids, but no specific timeline has been given for the larger operation. Despite this, the US supports Israel's right to defend itself and has not instructed them to halt their operations.
According to a Western official involved in de-escalation efforts, an Israeli ground operation in Lebanon is expected in the near future. This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Iran, following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike. Netanyahu stated that there is no place in the Middle East that Israel cannot reach.
There is speculation that Israel has shared its plans with the US and other Western allies, and that the operation will be limited in scope. However, it is not clear if Israel has made a final decision on the operation and the Israeli military has not commented on the matter. Despite the loss of their top leaders, Hezbollah's acting leader Naim Kassem has vowed to continue battling Israel and says their fighters are prepared for a long fight.
In the past 10 days, Israeli strikes have killed Nasrallah and six of his top commanders, as well as thousands of militant targets across Lebanon. This has resulted in over 1000 deaths, with a quarter of them being women and children. In response to these attacks, the US has announced plans to send additional troops to the region to bolster security and defend Israel if necessary.
Early Monday morning, an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in central Beirut, killing three Palestinian militants and sending a message that no part of Lebanon is out of bounds. Despite these blows, Hezbollah's capabilities remain unclear. Acting leader Naim Kassem has stated that the group's fighters are ready for a ground offensive and that their commanders have already been replaced. He also added that Hezbollah anticipates a long battle and is prepared for it.
As of now, Kassem will continue to act as leader until a replacement for Nasrallah is elected. It is widely believed that the next leader will be Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah who currently oversees Hezbollah's political affairs. While the group has increased their rocket attacks, most have been intercepted or landed in open areas. However, their true capabilities are still unknown.
According to officials, Israel has initiated small ground operations against Hezbollah in preparation for a larger operation in Lebanon. The US has been informed about these raids and has been assured that Israel has not yet determined a timeline for the larger operation. However, the US has not instructed Israel to stop all operations in Lebanon as they support Israel's right to protect itself.
A Western official, who is closely involved in efforts to de-escalate the situation, has revealed that Israel's ground operation in Lebanon is likely to happen soon. This development comes after Israel's Prime Minister issued a warning to Iran, following the recent airstrike that killed the leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, backed by Tehran.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that there is no place in the Middle East that Israel cannot reach. Another diplomat has also disclosed that Israel has shared its plans with the US and other Western allies, and the operation is expected to be limited. Both officials have requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation. It is still unclear if Israel has made a final decision on the broader operation, as the Israeli military has not commented on it yet.
Earlier on Monday, Hezbollah's acting leader declared that they will continue to fight against Israel, despite the loss of many of their top commanders, including their leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli airstrikes have killed Nasrallah and six other top officials in the past 10 days, and have targeted thousands of militant sites across Lebanon. The death toll has risen to more than 1000 people, with a significant number of women and children among the casualties.
In a separate development, the US has announced that they will be deploying a few thousand troops to the Middle East to strengthen security and defend Israel if necessary. This will bring the total number of troops in the region to around 43,000.
In the early hours of Monday, an airstrike targeted a residential building in central Beirut, destroying one apartment and causing damage to others. Three Palestinian militants were killed in the attack, as Israel made it clear that no part of Lebanon is off-limits. Despite the heavy losses suffered by Hezbollah, their acting leader Naim Kassem has declared that their fighters are ready for a possible ground offensive, and the commanders who were killed have been replaced.
Kassem also assured that Hezbollah's capabilities have not been affected by the recent attacks. He stated that the group has deputy commanders and replacements in case of any casualties. He also anticipated that the battle could be prolonged, as they had experienced in the 2006 war with Israel.
Kassem, who was Nasrallah's longtime deputy, will continue to hold his position until a new leader is elected by the group. It is widely believed that Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin who oversees Hezbollah's political affairs, will take over as the new leader.
Despite the increase in rocket attacks by Hezbollah, most of them have been intercepted or fallen in open areas. Only a few people have been injured in Israel, and there have been no fatalities since two soldiers were killed near the border on September 19. The exact capabilities of Hezbollah are still uncertain after suffering a series of major blows.
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