As widely announced, Jerusalem’s reaction to the deadly attack on the Druso football field in the Golan Heights was not long in coming: the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) conducted ‘a targeted attack in Beirut against the Hezbollah commander responsible for the murder of the children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous other Israeli civilians’.
Israel’s military spokesman explained that ‘there are currently no changes in the Home Front Command’s defensive guidelines. If changes are made, an update will be issued’. Reactions were also not slow on the political side. ‘Hezbollah has crossed the red line,’ declared Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant minutes after the IDF attack in Beirut.
According to the Israeli media, the senior Hezbollah leader killed in the IDF attack in Beirut was Fouad Sukar, considered the number two of the organisation led by Hassan Nasrallah. Sources close to Hezbollah, picked up by Israeli websites, confirmed that a Shia militia commander was eliminated in the Israeli attack.
The Americans were also quick to speak out. ‘We continue to believe that diplomacy is still the best course,’ US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said in a press briefing. ‘Our support for Israel is unwavering, but we do not want escalation,’ he added.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack that killed an Israeli civilian on kibbutz Ha Goshrim, saying it fired dozens of rockets at a nearby military base. Since 8 October, Hezbollah-led attacks have left 25 Israeli civilians and 18 IDF soldiers and reservists dead. According to the army, 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon in the attack, most of which were intercepted by Iron Dome. The IDF let it be known that it is bombarding the launch site with artillery.
“We do not expect an Israeli ground invasion, but if it happens, we are ready. If they decide to enter Lebanon, we will set foot in the Galilee,’ leading Hezbollah members told Al Jazeera that the Lebanese militia will respond to any Israeli “aggression”, even if it is limited in nature and size. ‘The leadership of the resistance will decide the shape and scope of the response to any potential aggression,’ Hezbollah officials said.
(Associated Medias) – All rights reserved