The 3-day rocket exchange between Israel and Lebanon is reminiscent of the 33-day war in 2006. Hezbollah rockets raised concerns about the escalation of conflicts into a war.
In reaction to Israeli air attacks on southern regions in Lebanon, Hezbollah rockets hit towards open land near Israeli forces. The retaliatory move continues a cycle of attacks between the two sides for a third day.
Hezbollah stressed in a statement that it had shot “dozens” of missiles in the Shebaa Farms territory. It was after Israeli jets began unusual air strikes on Lebanon a day earlier.
The retaliatory Hezbollah rockets attacks attempted to be on the same level of the source attacks. As the group confirmed, Israel has targeted open ground in Lebanon.
Israeli military also claimed that it raided the rocket site that hit its soils in Lebanon on the same day. The announcement proved that the cycle of attacks between the two sides in at no place near the ending.
“More than 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Most of the rockets were intercepted by the aerial defense system while the rest of them landed in open areas adjacent to Har Dov,” read a post on Israeli air force twitter account.
Army Radio in Tel Aviv also claimed that the IDF launched mortars and artillery into Hezbollah-controlled areas Lebanon. Fire alarms rang in Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied during the controversial ME war in 1967.
The clashes comprise the third day of fighting between the two sides. The clashes have had no precedent since 15 years ago, when Israel and Hezbollah engages in a full-scale battle for 33 days. The circumstance was dangerous following the sharp escalation near the border. Both sides, however, seem to have been extremely cautious in preventing casualties.
Regional Tensions
Israel and Hezbollah have been long-time enemies with a long history of conflicts during the past decades. The current tension, nevertheless, spikes in a condition that the Middle East in Involved in a series of challenges.
During the past week only, a drone attack on an Israeli ship claimed two lives and made massive controversies. Besides, the suspicious hijacking of vessels in Gulf of Oman ended only on Thursday with no reports about the details.
The current developments in Lebanese-Israeli borders takes more light in that larger context. Israel’s opening the offensive with an old rival might be a signal to other regional opponents like Iran.
As the researcher Sami Nader explains the condition, Hezbollah rocket response to Israel actually is a response to Israel’s adventure across the region. From Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, Syria and Iraq, Israel is following a track that might flames the regional full scale battles.
“It has to be in the larger context of confrontation with Iran, which is what’s happening in the Arab world, in terms of targeting boats and vessels. It has to be put in the context of what’s happening in Iraq, with the targeting American military bases in Iraq, and also with what’s happening in Syria, in terms of Israel bombing Iranian positions inside Syria,” Nader explains.
On that lens, there is an explanation for Israel’s refusal to enter a full-scale war. Israel’s policy centers on concerting regional panic to provide the condition to proceed with its policies.
Tel Aviv went even further recently to threaten Iran with striking. Defense minister Benny Gantz said its military forces are ready to strike Iran.
No such scenario will realize so long as the involvement of Israel in various regional fronts continues. Hezbollah rockets may only instigate a temporary conflict.
