Imminent "Decisive Battle": Israeli Threat to Expand War on Lebanon

SadaNews - Israel is threatening an imminent escalation in its military operations against Lebanon, amid rising confrontations related to the war on Iran, following a large-scale rocket attack launched by Hezbollah on Wednesday evening towards areas in the north of the country, coinciding with the expansion of Israeli airstrikes. The newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" quoted a senior Israeli official saying that Israel stands "on the verge of opening a decisive battle in Lebanon that will determine and shape the future of the two countries." Estimates conveyed by the newspaper "Haaretz" indicate the possibility of Hezbollah intensifying rocket launches during the night. On Wednesday evening, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets towards areas in northern Israel as part of an operation named "The Consumed Storm," with preliminary estimates in Israel suggesting that the attack included about 100 rockets fired simultaneously from various sites. In the aftermath of the attack, the Israeli Home Front Command urged residents of northern Israel to stay near fortified places. One of the rockets hit a house in the town of Bi'ina in the Sha'ghur area in northern Israel, resulting in injuries to several individuals. The official added that "there is a discussion taking place now with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and it seems that the battle in Lebanon is heading towards significant expansion." According to the Israeli official, Tel Aviv believes that Hezbollah is trying to change the course of the regional confrontation, referencing the war on Iran. He said: "Hezbollah, according to their understanding, wants to divert our attention from Iran, and they believe that if they drag us into Lebanon, we will ease the pressure in the battle against Iran. They want to create a new equation that ends the policy of enforcement," referring to the attacks that Israel continues to carry out, supposedly to thwart Hezbollah's activities, despite a ceasefire agreement. He continued, "They seek to create an equation that forces us to stop attacking them altogether, and this will not happen. Therefore, all this event is heading towards serious escalation." He added, "We are in a battle, and we are on the verge of opening a wide-scale battle in Lebanon. This will require additional mobilization of reserve forces." He said, "We have additional capabilities and tools, and we can manage a battle in Iran and Lebanon simultaneously. We managed a battle on seven fronts." The Israeli official also addressed the stance of the Lebanese state, stating that the Lebanese government committed to disarming Hezbollah, but this has not been achieved. He added, "The Lebanese government committed to dismantling Hezbollah's weapons and that the monopoly on arms would be in the hands of the Lebanese state only, and this is not happening." He continued with a threat: "Therefore, Israel is no longer obligated to refrain from striking infrastructure. If Lebanon does not address the matter and stop Hezbollah, we will also attack civilian infrastructure, which Israel has refrained from so far." He also stated: "We have given them countless opportunities to demonstrate their sovereignty, but unfortunately, they are not in this event even if they have good intentions"; simultaneously, the Israeli army threatened to respond forcefully to the rocket attacks claimed by Hezbollah. In this context, the newspaper "Haaretz" quoted an Israeli source as saying that Hezbollah plans to intensify rocket launches towards Israel during the night. The source added that estimates in Israel indicate coordination between Iran and Hezbollah regarding the launches. Alongside the rocket launches, the Israeli army announced that it continues to carry out extensive waves of air and naval strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The army stated that Hezbollah launched rockets towards several areas in northern Israel, while air defenses are intercepting them. They added that the air force is simultaneously attacking rocket launch sites and infrastructure of the party across Lebanon. In another statement, the army said it conducted extensive airstrikes in the Beirut area using about 200 munitions. They claimed that the attacks targeted infrastructure, weapon depots, and command posts of Hezbollah. According to the statement, the airstrikes targeted about 70 sites in Beirut, including around 50 high-rise buildings that the army stated were used by the party for military purposes. The Israeli army said that the airstrikes resulted, according to their narrative, in the killing of several field commanders. In parallel with the military escalation, the Israeli lobbying group known as "Lobby 1701" called for the establishment of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon extending to the Litani River, calling, in a statement, for what it termed a "yellow line in the north" similar to the yellow line in the Gaza Strip. They deemed this necessary for the establishment of a weapon-free area up to the Litani under the control of the Israeli army only, considering that this would ensure the security of the northern settlements. They added that "diplomatic efforts have failed to ensure the safety of northern residents, and it is time to take decisive steps."