On August 30th (local time), Israel carried out a targeted airstrike against the armed faction Hezbollah in southern Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, and killed a close aide to the leader of Hezbollah. This attack took place just three days after a bombing at a football field in the Golan Heights resulted in the deaths of 12 children. Israel has stated that it will respond strongly if Hezbollah retaliates, raising concerns of an imminent full-scale confrontation between the two sides.
Already engaged in a conflict with Hamas, if Israel enters into a full-scale confrontation with Hezbollah, there is a possibility that other groups like the Houthi rebels in Yemen, considered part of the “Axis of Resistance,” and their backers in Iran could also get involved, potentially turning the entire Middle East into a battlefield.
Lebanon’s state-run NNA news agency reported that three rockets fired by a drone struck an eight-story building in the residential area of Harat Hreik on the outskirts of Beirut, resulting in at least three deaths and 74 injuries. The building partially collapsed, trapping residents, and causing damage to surrounding homes and vehicles. The drone was reported to have targeted the office of the Hezbollah ruling council in Harat Hreik.
The Israeli military, in a statement released at 8 p.m. on the same day, confirmed the airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut and stated that the attack targeted a Hezbollah commander who had been involved in leading attacks against Israel.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, emphasized on his social media that Hezbollah had crossed a red line and that the Israeli military had successfully eliminated the top Hezbollah military commander, Fuad Shukr, with a precise and professional operation. However, Hezbollah has not disclosed the fate of Shukr.
Shukr, the target of the Israeli attack, is known as the “right-hand man” of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and has been leading Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel since the day after the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 8 last year. He was also wanted by the United States for leading the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. Marines, with a bounty of $5 million on his head.
The Israeli military stated that Shukr was responsible for overseeing Hezbollah’s advanced weapons, including precision-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, drones, and had launched numerous terrorist attacks targeting innocent civilians since joining Hezbollah in 1985.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the recent attack with dozens of casualties as a blatant invasion. Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bouhabib, stated that Lebanon would formally raise objections to Israel’s actions at the United Nations Security Council, as reported by The New York Times.
The key issue now is how Hezbollah will respond to Israel’s retaliatory strikes. Following the Israeli attack, one Hezbollah official, Ali Ammar, threatened that Israel had foolishly targeted civilian areas and would soon pay the price. Hezbollah had previously warned that any attempts to assassinate Lebanese, Syrian, Iranians, or Palestinians on Lebanese soil would lead to decisive retaliation against Israel.
The recent Israeli attack took place as key figures of the “Axis of Resistance” were gathered in Tehran, Iran, for the inauguration of Iran’s newly elected President, Ebrahim Raisi. Nasser Kanani, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, warned that Hezbollah and Lebanon had the right to retaliate against Israel for what he called a clear violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
Related countries and the international community have intervened to prevent further escalation of the situation. The UN Peacekeeping Force stationed in Lebanon stated that they were engaging in dialogue with both Lebanon and Israel to prevent the outbreak of war. In practice, US Vice President Kamala Harris, virtually the Democratic presidential candidate, emphasized the right of Israel to defend itself against terrorist groups like Hezbollah but also stressed the need for diplomatic solutions.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre remarked that President Joe Biden believes in diplomatic solutions and does not see all-out war as inevitable between Israel and Hezbollah. She added that as witnessed over the past three and a half years, President Biden remains committed to diplomatic solutions.
This recent Israeli attack coincided with the gathering of key leaders of the “Axis of Resistance” attending the inauguration of Iran’s new President, Ebrahim Raisi, in Tehran, Iran. Nasser Kanani, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, warned of a grave violation of Lebanese sovereignty by Israel and stated that Hezbollah and Lebanon have the right to retaliate against Israel.
Efforts are being made by various countries and the international community to prevent further escalation of the situation. The UN Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon has stated that they are in dialogue with both Lebanon and Israel to prevent the outbreak of war. In response to the potential all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that President Joe Biden believes in diplomatic solutions and does not consider all-out war inevitable.