New Israeli drone attack on southern Lebanon
An Israeli drone hit a vehicle in a southern Lebanese town, state media reports, a day after the most intense escalation since a November ceasefire.
“An Israeli drone carried out an air strike this morning, launching a guided missile targeting a car in the town of Aita al-Shaab,” near the border with Israel, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said.
It reported an unspecified number of casualties in the attack.
Israel violates Lebanon ceasefire repeatedly
People here in Lebanon are concerned this ceasefire might not hold because there are Israeli violations on a daily basis. This area is now more of a war zone after the latest attacks.
Yesterday, two civilians were killed – a 60-year-old man and a young lady, who were injured and later pronounced dead – bringing the number of people killed to eight from Israel’s Saturday bombardment.
There are attacks on different towns and villages in the Bekaa Valley and in the south of Lebanon.
Just this morning, there was an assassination of a Hezbollah commander in Aita after the town was hit by Israeli artillery overnight. Hassan al-Zein was killed as a result of an Israeli drone strike that targeted his car in his hometown.
Hezbollah says its presence important for Lebanon’s security
An expert on Hezbollah says the group will continue its presence in Lebanon despite calls to disarm because it’s the only military force capable of confronting the Israelis.
“Hezbollah is licking its wounds right now; it’s been heavily damaged. It has given an order just a week ago for all militants to disappear from southern Lebanon,” said Elijah Magnier, a Brussels-based military analyst.
He said there is “a difference in understanding” between Israel and Hezbollah over positioning near the Litani River under the truce.
“Hezbollah maintains its power north of the Litani River and the rest of the country. But that power has been much more reduced. The objectives of Hezbollah are no longer regional; they’re domestic,” he told Al Jazeera.
“Israel is helping Hezbollah justify its existence by keeping more Lebanese territory under occupation. Lebanon’s government doesn’t have the possibility to force the Israelis to withdraw.
“This is why Hezbollah is saying, ‘My presence and my power are important for the security of Lebanon – unless the government has the power and military to push out the Israeli army, which is not going to be the case.'”
All by design. Keep the Lebanese army weak, keep occupying parts of Southern Lebanon, keep up the regular air strikes, all to keep the support up for the resistance, and use that as an 'excuse' to keep going. Israel is cynically exploiting this vicious cycle to keep Lebanon divided and unable to become a stable country while slowly annexing more territory.
Israel is doing the same to Syria, US is now using that 'tactic' in Yemen.
Jumping from war to war ‘important’ for Israeli PM Netanyahu
Israel’s leader Netanyahu is trying to stay in power for at least another two years and this is why “he’s jumping from one war to another”, a military analyst says. “He’s doing that with Syria – without being provoked by Syria; he’s doing that with Lebanon,” Elijah Magnier told Al Jazeera.
He described the alleged firing of five rockets into northern Israel on Saturday as “doubtful”, saying there’s “no value” for Hezbollah or other armed groups in carrying out such an attack, as evidenced by about 200 Israeli raids in response that killed seven people and wounded dozens.
“For Israel, it’s important to maintain this pressure for political reasons and political gain for the prime minister and his far-right cabinet,” Magnier said.
