Israel expected to prolong northern evacuations: Report
Israel’s Hayom newspaper reports that the government plans to keep residents of northern Israel evacuated through the summer.
Tens of thousands of Israelis, who have been relocated to hotels away from the north due to escalating cross-border attacks between Israel and Hezbollah, are expected to remain there until the end of August, according to Israeli media.
The move comes as fears grow of potential all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel likely to widen conflict with Hezbollah in coming months
Israel is likely to escalate conflict with Hezbollah in August or September, potentially even launching a ground invasion into southern Lebanon, according to Omar Ashour, a professor of security and military studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.
While Israel knows it cannot destroy Hezbollah, which is stronger militarily than Hamas, it will aim to “degrade” it as much as possible, perhaps even pushing it north of the Litani river, Ashour told Al Jazeera.
Compared with Hamas, he says, Hezbollah has:
- At least three to four times more manpower.
- More projectiles with a further reach, including 5,000-8,000 long-range rockets and missiles that can reach Tel Aviv.
- Range of antitank missiles.
- Some sea and air capabilities, as evidenced by its reconnaissance drones.
Israeli official says they prefer diplomacy to end Hezbollah conflict
Israel will spend the coming weeks trying to resolve the conflict with Hezbollah and would prefer a diplomatic solution, Israel’s national security adviser has said.
Tzachi Hanegbi said Israel had been discussing with US officials the possibility that an expected end of intense Israeli military operations in Gaza would allow an “arrangement” to be reached with the Lebanese group.
“We and the Americans believe and we will dedicate weeks now in an attempt to reach an arrangement,” Hanegbi said. “If there will not be an arrangement through diplomatic means, everyone understands that there must be an arrangement through other means. For now, we prefer to focus on the diplomatic campaign.”
Israel eyes use of Musk’s Starlink in event of war with Hezbollah: Report
Israel is looking to use Elon Musk’s Starlink to maintain internet connectivity should there be a potential all-out war with Lebanese Hezbollah on the northern border that causes power outages in Israel, the Calcalist financial daily reports.
The daily said that the finance and communications ministries were seeking to utilise Starlink’s 5,000 low-orbit satellites to ensure stable data and information flow for state authorities during emergencies.
Both ministries did not immediately comment to Reuters.
In February, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi gave permission to Starlink, the satellite unit of SpaceX, to operate in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
