Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has engaged in discussions regarding the potential escalation of Israel’s military operations, as images emerged of tanks stationed along the nation’s border with Lebanon.
In a release on Saturday, the office of Mr. Gallant stated that he was undertaking “an operational evaluation of the situation” concerning what was termed “the escalation of IDF (Israel Defence Forces) activities in the northern region.”
Israeli tanks and soldiers were subsequently captured in photographs near the border, which Sky News’ security and defence editor Deborah Haynes described as the “most definitive indication thus far” that the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is “set to intensify even more.”
Israel-Hezbollah latest: Hassan Nasrallah killed
The military announced it was mobilizing an additional three battalions of reserve personnel to deploy throughout the country. Previously, two brigades had been dispatched to northern Israel in anticipation of a possible ground incursion.
This deployment follows the confirmation from Hezbollah that its leader of over thirty years, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed during an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.
Yoav Gallant holds a meeting with senior IDF officers. Pic: Israeli defence ministry
The militant organization, which has affiliations with Iran, pledged to persist in its struggle against Israel even as the bombardments continued around Lebanon’s capital.
According to initial data from Lebanon’s health ministry, at least six individuals lost their lives in the strikes—excluding Nasrallah—and 91 others sustained injuries.
Israeli military tanks gather by the Israeli-Lebanon border. Pic: AP
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that the airstrikes resulted in the displacement of “well over 200,000” individuals within Lebanon.
“More than 50,000 Lebanese, along with Syrians residing in Lebanon, have traversed the border into Syria,” Filippo Grande shared via X on Saturday.
About 60,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their residences along the Lebanese frontier for nearly a year.
‘Israel is on the move’
In his initial public comments following the assassination, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labeled Nasrallah a “terrorist” and stated that his demise would facilitate the return of displaced Israelis to their homes in the north while also exerting pressure on Hamas to release Israeli captives held in Gaza.
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However, with the potential for retaliation escalating, he remarked that the upcoming days would present “significant challenges” and admonished Iran against attempts to strike.
“There exists no location in Iran or the Middle East that the extended reach of Israel will not penetrate, and today you can already see how accurate this is,” Mr. Netanyahu declared.
Is a broader conflict in the Middle East now unavoidable?
Images from Beirut are deeply concerning, and the forecasts for the near future are even more alarming.
As the dust settles from this pivotal assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, urgent questions are demanding attention.
Above all, is the Middle East on the verge of embroiling itself in a regional war that poses a threat to all of us? This has been the caution for almost a year; is it finally about to materialize?
Not if the United States and its partners can prevent it.
From President Joe Biden to others, there are persistent calls for de-escalation and a peaceful resolution. The US has also quickly deployed military resources to deter Hezbollah’s backers in Iran from escalating the situation. But will this suffice?
Conversely, Iran may feel compelled to intervene. It could be apprehensive that the significant missile arsenal it provided is so compromised that it must act to protect Hezbollah.
Yet, despite their fervor, the leaders in Tehran are pragmatic and prioritize maintaining their authority above all else. This has been an established rule in the Middle Eastern landscape since they took control 45 years ago.
The forthcoming actions also hinge on Israel.
Israel may believe it possesses momentum and decide to launch a ground invasion into Lebanon to push Hezbollah back from the border. Such a move would also be precarious, potentially involving supportive militias and Iranian troops stationed in Syria.
The Middle East stands at a critical risk of further escalation. Diplomatic efforts from both Western and regional negotiators are endeavoring round the clock to prevent a disaster, yet recent attempts have concluded in disappointment, as neither Israel nor Hezbollah appears to heed these calls.
Explore Waghorn’s complete analysis here.
Pic: AP
“We have accomplished significant milestones, yet the work remains unfinished. In the upcoming days, we will confront substantial challenges, and we will tackle them as one,” he remarked.
“We are resolute in our commitment to continue targeting our adversaries, restore our citizens to their homes, and recover all our captives. They are not forgotten for even a moment.”
“Israel is in motion.”
Pic: REUTERS
Demonstrators chant during an anti-Israel rally in Tehran. Image: Majid Asgaripour/WANA
The Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, denounced the killing and declared a five-day period of mourning. He asserted that Lebanon would make Israel “regret its actions” and that Nasrallah’s blood “will be avenged”.
In correspondence addressed to the UN Security Council, Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani requested an “emergency session” of the fifteen-member panel, urging it to “force Israel” to halt all military operations in both Gaza and Lebanon and to “adhere to applicable UNSC resolutions”.
Read more:
Eyewitness: Beirut is engulfed in fear and chaos
Hezbollah and Iran must now choose to fight or retreat
Image: Majid Asgaripour/WANA
Concurrently, hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets of Tehran, waving Hezbollah flags and shouting “death to Israel” and “death to the murderer Netanyahu”.
Additionally, crowds assembled in the Lebanese city of Sidon and in Amman, Jordan, to honor Nasrallah. The 64-year-old was immensely popular across the Arab and Islamic realms but was perceived as an extremist in many parts of the Western world.
