- Israel prepares for expanded military operations
- Hezbollah vows to continue after Nasrallah’s death
- Escalating conflict displaces thousands in Lebanon
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant is reviewing plans to expand Israel’s military offensive, as tanks and troops gather along the northern border with Lebanon. This buildup follows the death of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.
In a statement released on Saturday, Gallant’s office confirmed that he was conducting an “operational situation assessment” focused on “expanding IDF (Israel Defence Forces) activities in the northern arena.” Israeli tanks stationed near the border have heightened speculations that Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah is set to escalate further.
The military has mobilized three additional battalions of reserve soldiers to serve across Israel, with two brigades already positioned in northern Israel in preparation for a possible ground invasion.
Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran, has vowed to continue its fight against Israel despite the loss of its leader and ongoing airstrikes in Beirut. The Lebanese health ministry reported at least six fatalities, not including Nasrallah, and 91 injuries from the attacks.
The conflict has led to the displacement of over 200,000 people within Lebanon, according to the United Nations high commissioner for refugees. An estimated 50,000 Lebanese citizens, along with Syrians residing in Lebanon, have fled across the Syrian border, while around 60,000 Israelis have been evacuated from homes near the Lebanese border over the past year.
‘Israel is on the move’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his first public comments since Nasrallah’s death, referred to him as a “terrorist” and emphasized that his killing would aid in returning displaced Israelis to their northern homes and pressure Hamas into releasing Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu warned that significant challenges lie ahead, including a high threat of retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah.
He cautioned Iran not to strike, declaring, “There is no place in Iran or the Middle East that Israel’s long arm cannot reach.” Netanyahu underscored that while Israel has achieved considerable success, the mission remains unfinished. “We are determined to continue striking our enemies, bringing our residents back home, and retrieving our abductees. Israel is on the move,” he stated.
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned Nasrallah’s killing, declaring five days of mourning and vowing that Lebanon will make Israel “regret their actions.” He further warned that Nasrallah’s blood “will not go unavenged.”
Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, requested an “emergency meeting” of the UN Security Council, urging the body to compel Israel to halt military action in Gaza and Lebanon and adhere to relevant resolutions.
Meanwhile, protests erupted in Tehran, with demonstrators waving Hezbollah flags and chanting “death to Israel” and “death to Netanyahu.” Similar demonstrations occurred in Lebanon’s Sidon and Jordan’s Amman, where Nasrallah had a significant following, though he was viewed as an extremist in many parts of the West.
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