Tension on the northern border soars
Wednesday was a black day for southern Lebanon. The Israeli army not only intensified its attacks, but issued “immediate” evacuation orders for dozens of border villages. A drastic measure that sounds like preparations for something bigger.
This new escalation comes after several days of exchanges of fire with Hezbollah. The Lebanese armed group has been launching rockets and drones into Israeli territory, in what they call a legitimate response.
Voices from the field
The Israeli attacks reached the suburbs of Beirut and areas of the south and east of the country. According to Lebanese state media, the toll is harsh: at least a dozen dead and dozens injured.
The most worrying thing is that some attacks were carried out without prior warning, exponentially increasing the risk for the civilian population. Thousands of people have already fled north of the Litani River, following Israeli recommendations.
From Hezbollah, its secretary general Naim Kassem was forceful:
“Our operations are legitimate resistance to the Israeli occupation. We will maintain our operational capacity as long as its military presence in the south persists.”
Kassem also accused the Lebanese government of “unfairly” criticizing the group’s rocket launches.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army is trying to maintain some control. It has tightened border controls with Israel and Syria, and made arrests for illegal weapons possession. Authorities admit that some arrests could be linked to Hezbollah or other armed groups.
The international community watches with growing alarm. The real fear is that these limited confrontations could lead to something much worse: a large-scale ground invasion that no one wants, but which seems more possible every day.
