Hezbollah successfully strikes Israel, Mossad
On Sunday, Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, marking what Hezbollah has termed the first phase of revenge for the martyrdom of one of its senior commanders. In response to this major attack, Tel Aviv declared a 48-hour nationwide emergency. While Israel, as always, claimed that the attack was thwarted, hospitals there were put on emergency alert. Around the world, this attack has raised concerns about the intensification of the conflict between Resistance forces and Israel.
By Syed Ali Hassan
Iran Daily’s correspondent in Pakistan
Hezbollah claimed it targeted 11 Israeli military locations with over 320 Katyusha rockets. Most of the projectiles hit Israeli military bases in northern Israel’s Galilee region and the occupied Golan Heights, followed by drone strikes against military forces during the ensuing chaos. Israel has declared the area off-limits to the press. Later, Hezbollah announced that it concluded its series of attacks that began on Sunday morning and warned Israel that any further mistakes or attacks on Lebanese cities would have dire consequences for Israel.
Hezbollah had already warned that it would launch a large-scale attack in retaliation for the killing of its senior commander, Fuad Shukr. In its recent statement, Hezbollah said it carried out an aerial attack using numerous drones on areas under Israeli control. The statement further emphasized Hezbollah’s high level of preparedness and warned that if civilians in Lebanon were harmed, the punishment would be severe and intolerable.
As the Zionist regime’s army commenced its own retaliatory strikes on Lebanon, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also informed US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin of the overall situation. Israeli observers were worried that in the 48 hours that followed, the entity would be subjected to another wave of attack from Resistance groups in Yemen, Iraq, and/or Syria, while a major attack from Iran was expected to come as the Arbaeen march of Imam Hussein (PBUH) ends.
According to US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, the US stays committed to ensuring Israel’s security while continuing its role in containing the conflict in the region. Israel has informed the US that its preemptive attacks on Lebanon were intended to prevent Hezbollah’s large-scale attack. However, Israel’s strategy failed as a significant Hezbollah assault went through regardless, further compromising Israel’s security.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military advised residents in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah is active, to evacuate as soon as possible. Yet, the Israeli actions did not cause widespread panic in Lebanon, as the regime hoped, and people continued to participate in Arbaeen ceremonies, ignoring Israeli threats. A Western diplomat commented that Hezbollah has once again succeeded in undermining Israeli deterrence.
Israeli reports indicate that Hezbollah initially targeted two crucial military locations near Tel Aviv. An Arab security official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that Hezbollah’s attack was more severe than usual, restoring parity. This is all while the Israeli military launched preemptive strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon an hour before Hezbollah’s attack, aiming to limit the possibility of attacks on Israel. However, the Israeli military and intelligence apparatuses suffered severe failure, as Hezbollah struck two military sites in Tel Aviv, exposing weaknesses in Israeli military power.
Hezbollah has also refuted Israeli claims that its preemptive strikes were meant to prevent retaliatory attacks. After Hezbollah announced the completion of the first phase of its counterattacks on Sunday morning, Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon continued, potentially complicating the situation further. Hezbollah will likely respond once the outcomes of the Israeli bombardment have become clear.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported soon after that two people were martyred and two others slightly injured in the town of Altiri as a result of the Israeli attack following Hezbollah’s assault. Additionally, Hezbollah ally group Amal movement announced the death of one of its fighters, identified as Ayman Idris, who was martyred in the Israeli attack in the Khiam area of southern Lebanon.
The gravity of Hezbollah’s Sunday attack is highlighted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s emergency cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv shortly after the attack. The meeting aimed to devise a new strategy to counter the security threats on the northern front. Israelis have stated that Hezbollah has turned the north into hell, with 60,000 Jews displaced and burdening Tel Aviv.
Diplomatic sources immediately attested that Hezbollah achieved all its targets in the attack on Sunday, including a significant target, Mossad’s intelligence unit 8200, which was involved in planning the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Due to the intensity of this attack, lines of fleeing Israeli citizens have reappeared at Tel Aviv airport.