Israel-Hezbollah conflict: What we know so far

The concern worsened connected Sunday arsenic Hezbollah launched implicit 100 rockets into bluish Israel, with immoderate landing adjacent Haifa. Israel retaliated by launching hundreds of strikes crossed Lebanon.

On Monday, Israeli strikes claimed the lives of implicit 490 Lebanese, marking the deadliest onslaught since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. Residents successful confederate and eastbound Lebanon were warned by Israel to evacuate arsenic the aerial run intensified.

Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into bluish Israel, triggering aerial raid sirens successful cities similar Haifa and Carmel. The Israeli subject warned citizens to brace for much incoming attacks. (AP photo)

Over the past 24 hours, Israel has unleashed a bid of aerial strikes crossed Lebanon. Hundreds of Lebanese radical are dead, galore are wounded and thousands are displaced arsenic they scramble to fig retired harmless areas for their families .

There is increasing fearfulness that the unit could escalate into a full-scale warfare betwixt Israel and Hezbollah, which could further destabilise the region, already tense owed to the ongoing struggle successful Gaza. While some sides person stated they bash not privation for war, they person besides warned of escalating their subject campaigns.

Israel and Hezbollah person exchanged occurrence regularly since the Gaza struggle began connected October 7 past year. Despite dense unit from the US and its allies to de-escalate, some sides person pulled backmost erstwhile the struggle has travel adjacent to spiralling retired of control. However, Israeli leaders person progressively signalled that a larger subject cognition could beryllium connected the skyline to halt attacks from Lebanon and alteration displaced Israelis to instrumentality to their homes.

What were the latest attacks?

Over 1,600 Lebanese were injured successful Monday’s airstrikes, which prompted a wide exodus from confederate Lebanon. Israel claims it targeted Hezbollah’s weapons sites, hitting astir 1,600 targets. However, Lebanon’s wellness curate reported that hospitals, aesculapian centres, and ambulances were besides struck.

Israel has issued warnings to residents to evacuate areas wherever Hezbollah is believed to beryllium storing weapons. The warnings were besides circulated via substance messages, according to Lebanese media.

Hezbollah responded by firing dozens of rockets into Israel, including astatine subject bases, with air-raid sirens sounding crossed bluish Israel.

Emergency unit enactment astatine a tract of houses damaged pursuing a rocket onslaught from Lebanon, amid cross-border hostilities betwixt Hezbollah and Israel, successful Kiryat Bialik, Israel, September 22, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

An Israeli airstrike connected Friday brought down a high-rise successful Beirut’s confederate suburbs, sidesplitting Ibrahim Akil, the commandant of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit, on with different apical commanders. The airstrike reportedly killed astatine slightest 45 and injured much than 60. Akil was said to beryllium liable for Hezbollah’s rocket and drone campaigns against bluish Israel.

That onslaught followed the explosion of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies utilized by Hezbollah past Tuesday and Wednesday. At slightest 37 radical were killed, including 2 children, and astir 3,000 were injured. Israel has not confirmed nor denied involvement.

Reports suggest that portion the bombing did not importantly impact Hezbollah’s manpower, it could person disrupted their communications and forced the radical to instrumentality stricter information measures.

What is happening connected the border?

The Israel-Lebanon borderline has seen regular exchanges of occurrence since the Israel-Hamas warfare began connected October 7. Before Monday, astir 600 Lebanese – mostly fighters but including astir 100 civilians – had been killed, on with 50 soldiers and civilians successful Israel. Thousands of radical person been displaced from their homes adjacent the borderline connected some sides.

People ticker Lebanon’s Hezbollah person Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivering a televised address, arsenic they beryllium astatine a cafe successful Sidon, Lebanon September 19, 2024. (REUTERS)

Hezbollah person Hassan Nasrallah vowed to retaliate for the pager bombings but has remained cautious astir stoking further conflict. The radical faces a delicate balance: retaliating against Israeli attacks portion avoiding actions that mightiness escalate into a full-scale warfare for which it could beryllium held responsible.

Hezbollah claims its attacks against Israel are successful solidarity with Hamas. Last week, Nasrallah declared that the rocket barrages would proceed and that Israelis successful the northbound would not beryllium capable to instrumentality to their homes until the struggle successful Gaza ends.

What are Israel’s plans?

Israeli officials person not publically announced a determination to grow subject operations against Hezbollah, but determination has been increasing speculation. Last week, Israel’s Northern Command caput was quoted successful section media suggesting a crushed penetration of Lebanon.

As the warring successful Gaza has slowed, Israel has bolstered its forces on the Lebanese border, including deploying a part believed to dwell of thousands of troops.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant precocious declared a “new phase” successful the war, with Israel shifting its absorption northwards towards Hezbollah.

Residents cheque the tract of an Israeli airstrike successful Beirut’s confederate suburbs, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

“The centre of gravity is shifting to the north,” helium stated.

A United Nations-brokered truce pursuing the 2006 warfare called for Hezbollah to retreat 29 kilometres from the border, but the radical has refused, accusing Israel of besides not adhering to parts of the agreement. Israel is present demanding Hezbollah retreat by 8 to 10 kilometres – the scope of its anti-tank missiles.

The 2006 war, which was sparked erstwhile Hezbollah kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers, progressive dense Israeli bombardments of confederate Lebanon and Beirut, arsenic good arsenic a crushed invasion. Israeli commanders aboriginal revealed that the strategy was to inflict maximum harm connected Hezbollah-controlled areas to deter aboriginal attacks.

However, this clip Israel mightiness person much ambitious aims: perchance to seizure a buffer portion successful confederate Lebanon to propulsion Hezbollah fighters further from the border. Such a strategy could pb to a much prolonged and devastating conflict, reminiscent of Israel’s concern of confederate Lebanon from 1982 to 2000.

People respond during the ceremonial procession of their relatives, who were killed successful Monday’s Israeli airstrikes, successful the confederate colony of Saksakieh, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Israel estimates Hezbollah present has astir 150,000 rockets and missiles, immoderate of which are precision-guided and susceptible of hitting immoderate determination successful Israel. While Israel has strengthened its aerial defences, it remains uncertain whether they could withstand the strength of a caller war.

Israeli leaders person warned that confederate Lebanon could go a full-scale conflict zone, claiming that Hezbollah has embedded its rockets, weapons, and fighters crossed the borderline area. Israeli politicians person besides indicated that Lebanon could look the aforesaid level of devastation seen successful Gaza during the ongoing conflict.

(With Inputs from AP and Reuters)