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Iran-Hezbollah escalation was ‘contained immediately’
A view after Israel carried out strikes on Lebanon, as seen from Tyre in the south of the country
Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, who has reported from south Lebanon on many occasions since the cross-border attacks by Hezbollah and Israel began, says an escalation was “anticipated”.
However, what was “significant” about the events overnight was how the situation was “contained immediately”. He said the containment signals that “both sides are keeping a distance” from going towards an all-out war.
All parties involved, including Israel, Hezbollah, Iran and the US, are trying to avoid such an escalation because the “price of a war on both sides is going to be massive”, Hashem said.
Hezbollah said its attack was an initial response to the Israeli military’s killing of its commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut in July, and Israel said it thwarted the attack. But Hashem said it remains unclear what exactly happened overnight and what strategic locations the Lebanese group had targeted.
He said the next few hours will be crucial as there should be statements from both sides indicating what trajectory this escalation will take.
One killed as Israel launches new raids in south Lebanon
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) is reporting that one person was killed in an Israeli raid on a car in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam. The attack was part of a series of renewed Israeli raids on southern Lebanon.
NNA and Al Mayadeen TV reported Israeli raids in several locations, including Zebqin, Yater, Shebaa Valley, villages in Nabatieh, the Bir Kalb area, Kfar Kila, Alma ash-Shaab, and Meiss el-Jabal.
Israel claims it hit ‘thousands’ of Hezbollah rocket launchers
The Israeli military says approximately 100 of its fighter jets “struck and destroyed” thousands of rocket launchers in south Lebanon earlier this morning. “Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel,” the military said in a statement.
More than 40 launch sites were attacked, it added.
Netanyahu says Israel ‘acted proactively’ to remove Hezbollah threat
The prime minister issued a statement saying he instructed the Israeli military to “act proactively” after detecting Hezbollah’s preparations to attack Israel.
The military has been working to “thwart the threats” and has “destroyed thousands of rockets aimed at the north of the country”. He added, “It’s also thwarting many other threats and is operating with great power – both in defence and on the attack.
“We are determined to do everything possible to defend our country, to return the residents of the north safely to their homes and to continue to uphold a simple rule: Whoever harms us – we harm him.”
And how is that simple rule been making Israel safe?
Two wounded in Israeli raids on south Lebanon: Report
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) is reporting that a Lebanese man suffered minor injuries and a Syrian man sustained moderate injuries following Israel’s attacks earlier this morning. Both men were taken to hospital for treatment, the NNA said, citing the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Smoke billows from an area targeted by an Israeli air raid
