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SvennoJ on 01 October 2024

UN Security Council schedules emergency meeting on Middle East

The meeting is set for 10am local time at UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday (14:00 GMT).

In a letter to the council, Israel’s envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, accused Iran of trying to destroy Israel “with a ring of fire from seven fronts”. Danon urged the Security Council to condemn the country and designate its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist” organisation.

Iran has said it launched its missile attack against Israel in retaliation for killings in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the assassinations of Hamas, Hezbollah and IRGC leaders.


Risk of Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure ‘particularly high’

Ali Vaez, the Iran Project director at the International Crisis Group think tank, says there is a “real risk” of Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

“The risk of an [Israeli] attack on the nuclear programme is particularly high because Iran’s defensive shield Hezbollah is on its knees,” Vaez told Al Jazeera.

“US forces are already in the region shielding Israel, and for Israel, this is potentially a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take care of a major threat that it has perceived from Iran over the past few decades,” he explained.

“And it also probably knows that even if this is resolved diplomatically, it will not be to Israel’s satisfaction. So I think there’s a real risk of a strike on nuclear facilities.”

Vaez added that regardless of whether Israel targets Iranian nuclear infrastructure or military installations, a large Israeli response could still trigger a wider war.


France says forces in Middle East mobilised to ‘counter the Iranian threat’

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned Iran “in the strongest possible terms” for its “new attacks against Israel”.

Macron said that France was “committed to Israel’s security” and French military resources in the Middle East have been mobilised to “counter the Iranian threat”, the president’s office said in a statement following a meeting of the country’s national defence and security council.

Macron also called on Israel to end its military operations in Lebanon “as soon as possible” as “too many civilians are already victims”, and on Hezbollah to cease all attacks against Israel and its people, his office said.

The French president also appealed to “all actors involved in the crisis in the Middle East to exercise the greatest restraint”.

Err, you forgot about the genocide... and the hostages...



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SvennoJ on 01 October 2024

‘Absolutely no reason’ Middle East should be in this position

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, has said the region faces “an extremely explosive situation that can very quickly escalate into a full-scale, regional war” just weeks before the US election on November 5.

“And there’s absolutely no reason why we should be here. The only reason we’re here is because Biden appears incapable or unwilling to say no to Benjamin Netanyahu,” Parsi told Al Jazeera.

As we’ve been reporting, senior US officials said on Tuesday that Iran would face “serious consequences” for its missile attacks against Israel.

Asked specifically if Iran’s nuclear programme was a “legitimate target for an Israeli response”, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters that he wasn’t “ruling anything out” or “ruling anything in”.

“We want to have these conversations directly with our Israeli counterparts over the coming days,” he told reporters.

“It’s clear that this was an unacceptable attack, and as we made clear before this attack, there will be consequences for it, but I think it’s appropriate that we discuss those consequences with our Israeli counterparts before we talk about them publicly.”

Lebanon: Displaced families face lack of food, healthcare

A vast majority of Lebanese families that have been forcibly displaced by recent Israeli attacks cannot meet their basic needs, including access to food, shelter and healthcare, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is warning.

The humanitarian group said 82 percent of the 200 displaced families it surveyed reported struggling to access food while others reported lacking shelter materials, hygiene products and clean drinking water, among other necessities.

Nearly half of all those affected – 47 percent – were children, the IRC said.

“We are witnessing alarming gaps in health care, with critical shortages of medication and limited access to services affecting the elderly, children and those with chronic conditions,” Juan Gabriel Wells, the group’s Lebanon country director, said in a statement.

“Syrian refugees are also facing a dire situation. Many are now forced to live in makeshift shelters, tents, cars, or even garages, facing not only poor living conditions but also barriers to accessing basic services. These families, often with young children, are struggling to access even the most basic services like health care and clean water.”


Displaced children play at a makeshift encampment at a beach in Beirut, October 1

Iran’s rocket attacks constitute second ‘warning shot’ to Israel

Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow with the Center for International Policy, has said that the Iranian government likely felt that if it didn’t respond to recent Israeli escalations, Israel’s attacks were “just going to grow and continue”.

Mortazavi told Al Jazeera that Iranian missile and drone attacks against Israel in April – two weeks after a deadly Israeli strike on the country’s consulate in Syria – were an initial “warning shot” and an effort to “escalate to de-escalate”.

“I think it looks like the messaging is the same” from Iran on its latest missile barrage, Mortazavi explained. “They’re framing this as another warning shot.”

She also noted that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Iran’s attacks in a social media post as “a response to Israeli attacks on their sovereignty”.

“But at the same time, [Pezeshkian reiterated] the message that they don’t want war,” Mortazavi said.

US’s Harris ‘on same page’ as Biden, offers ‘total support for Israel’

Kamala Harris was in the Situation Room for part of the morning with the president being briefed by the National Security team. There is the possibility that she could be the next president should she defeat Donald Trump.

Her spoken comments were very much on the same page as what we’ve heard from others in the Biden administration. Basically painting Iran as the aggressor and saying, once again, that mantra from the US government of offering total support for Israel.

It was interesting to see the statements from all US departments – the State Department, the Pentagon, and the White House – about the ongoing discussion and coordination with Israel during this attack. It’s kind of unprecedented in terms of direct US participation in an ongoing attack.

We had confirmation from all these departments that there was constant coordination and discussion with their Israeli counterparts.



SvennoJ on 01 October 2024

The areas targeted in Iran’s missile strike on Israel


Iranian missile appears to hit less than a kilometer from Mossad headquarters in Herzliya, Israel, on October 1, 2024, in videos verified by CNN

Of the approximately 180 missiles the Israel Defense Forces say Iran fired Tuesday night, at least three apparent targets have emerged from a CNN analysis of geolocated videos of the attack.

It’s still too early to tell whether the attack resulted in any serious damage – that will require daylight and likely satellite imagery – but by analyzing the videos from the attack we have a picture of what Iran targeted.

Footage shows a significant concentration of missiles fell either at, or near, the headquarters of Mossad, Nevatim Air Base and Tel Nof Air Base.

Those locations largely tally with what the US intelligence community, and the Israelis, believed would be targeted. Israel assessed that Iran would likely attack three Israeli air bases and an intelligence base, according to a person briefed on the matter. And a US military official told CNN that potential Iranian targets included air bases and intelligence command centers.

Videos show at least two missiles falling near the Mossad HQ in Tel Aviv’s Glilot neighborhood, a densely populated area with a number of residential and commercial buildings.

In southern Israel’s Negev desert, videos show a significant number of Iranian rockets hitting the Nevatim base. The facility, one of Israel’s largest, was previously hit by Iran during its April 13 attack (the IDF said the damage was minimal.)

In the area of the Tel Nof base, more than 15 miles south of Tel Aviv, another video showed a number of impacts.



Jordan vows it "will not be a battleground for anyone" following Iranian missile attack on Israel

Jordan has vowed it “will not be a battleground for anyone,” after an Iranian missile attack on Israel ramped up tensions across the Middle East and compounded fears of a wider conflict.

The Ministry of Interior said missile fragments had fallen in different parts of the country including the capital Amman.

“Jordan’s position has always been that it will not be a battleground for anyone, protecting Jordan and its people is our number one responsibility,” Mohammad al-Momani, Minister of Government Communication, told the state-funded al-Mamlaka TV channel on Wednesday.

Three people sustained minor injuries from falling missiles and debris, according to al-Momani. “There is material damage that is being assessed right now,” he added.

State media broadcasts showed damage in several locations including one live report from Balqa governorate northwest of Amman where a reporter said a 2-meter missile fragment had landed.

Shelter order: In a rare move, the Jordanian military asked people to stay in their homes and put all its forces in a state of readiness. It also said it was taking “precautionary measures to build and support front-line units on the border fronts to protect the homeland.”

Jordan’s Air Force intercepted Iranian missiles Tuesday, according to a Jordanian official.

The Kingdom was one of the Arab countries that intercepted Iranian drones and missiles that were part of a previous attack against Israel by Iran on April 13.



Investigators comb crater for clues at scene of Iranian missile attack near Israeli school


Israeli rescue force members inspect the site where a missile fired from Iran towards Israel hit a school building, in central Israel, on October 1

Israeli authorities were picking through pieces of shrapnel to identify the type of missile used in the aftermath of an attack carried out by Iran on Tuesday.

CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, reporting from the site of an attack near a school in the central Israeli town of Gedera, said the impact of the strike left a wall and the windows of a second-grade classroom shattered, with significant damage seen inside.

Workers and heavy machinery could be seen in the background clearing through debris around a large crater measuring around 8 feet at its deepest portion. Shrapnel pieces could also be seen laid out as they were collected for further analysis.

No casualties were reported but hours before the attack, children had been attending the school.

Remnants of an Iranian ballistic missile, including the guidance section and the warhead, were visible in the images and videos taken by CNN at the site of the crater, according to Trevor Ball, a former senior explosive ordnance technician for the US Army.

He said it was difficult to identify the exact model due to the lack of reference images.

 



SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

US vice presidential candidates pledge continued support for Israel

US vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance have both promised to stand firmly behind Israel, even as experts warn that unconditional US support for the country has led to a widening escalation in the Middle East.

“Israel’s ability to be able to defend itself is absolutely fundamental,” Walz, the Democratic candidate, said during a debate against Vance in New York.

The Minnesota governor praised the Biden administration’s “steady leadership” without directly answering a question about whether he would support Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

Vance also pledged support for the top US ally, saying that former President Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy towards Iran – which included a bevvy of American sanctions against Tehran – had prevented escalations like the one currently unfolding.

“It is up to Israel what they think they need to do to keep their country safe, and we should support our allies, wherever they are, when they are fighting the bad guys,” the Republican VP candidate said when asked whether he would back Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.



Not much hope when it comes to the USA. US politics are under total control of Aipac.

Vance lying as usual, none of the sanctions on Iran have been lifted by Biden, instead he has increased sanctions.

https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-is-joe-biden-weakening-iran-sanctions/a-68992276
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/18/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-iran-sanctions/


Australian PM condemns Iranian attacks

Anthony Albanese has called Iran’s attack a “dangerous escalation”.

“Australia condemns Iran’s missile attack on Israel. This is an extremely dangerous escalation – Australia and the global community have been clear in our calls for de-escalation,” the Australian prime minister said in a social media post.

“Further hostilities put civilians at risk. We are monitoring the situation closely and encourage Australians in Israel to follow the advice of local authorities.”


You didn't condemn Israel's attacks on Lebanon though that have killed over 1,000 people so far. Hypocrites.

Republican lawmakers call for US strikes on Iran

Several Republican officials have called for the US to attack Iran following today’s missile barrage against Israel.

Here are some of their comments:

  • Senator Lindsey Graham says the US should coordinate an “overwhelming response” with Israel and that Iranian oil refineries “need to be hit hard”.
  • Senator Marco Rubio called for “direct and disproportionate” measures against Iran that can threaten “the survival of the regime”.
  • Congressman Mike Lawler said the US and Israel should strike “within the borders of Iran”.
  • Senator Tom Cotton said the US must “pray for Israel and then back Israel to the hilt to destroy our common enemies”.

Good plan, hit oil refineries, good for climate change and gas prices... Bunch of warmongers.



SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

‘Time for the grown-ups to pull back from the brink’

This is not the time for jubilation and celebration; this is the time for de-escalation. This is the time for the grown-ups at the UN Security Council or in Washington or elsewhere in Europe to really pull [the region] back from the brink.

Already, tens of thousands have been killed in Gaza and Lebanon and elsewhere, and we’re about to enter into a larger regional war with the United States getting involved. This is a very, very dangerous situation.

The idea of Iran and Israel going after each other under the auspices of the United States will burn everyone in the Middle East and beyond.


Oil prices rise amid escalating tensions

Concerns about escalating attacks in the Middle East have pushed oil prices up.

The Reuters news agency reported that US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures rose by $1.05, or 1.48 percent, to $70.86 per barrel due to fears of potential supply disruption.


Israel could target Iranian oil facilities: Report

Israel plans a “significant retaliation” against Iran that could involve attacks on the country’s oil production facilities and other strategic infrastructure, according to online media outlet Axios.

Quoting unnamed Israeli officials, the Axios report said Israel could launch its attack “within days”, following Iran’s bombardment of Tel Aviv and other locations with almost 200 missiles on Tuesday night.

The officials told Axios that “all options will be on the table – including strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities” if Tehran launches another strike in response to the impending attack by Israel.

“We have a big question mark about how the Iranians are going to respond to an attack, but we take into consideration the possibility that they would go all in, which will be a whole different ball game,” the news site quoted one Israeli official as saying.


South Korean president expresses concern over energy supply due to Middle East crisis

Yoon Suk-yeol’s office said the South Korean president met with his national security and economic advisers over the Middle East crisis on Wednesday.

In the meeting he called for a swift but measured response to any effects the conflict might have on the country’s energy supply. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also ordered all of its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately.



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SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

‘Iran acts decisively on what it says’: Foreign Ministry

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said his country had “acted decisively and firmly” against Israel under the UN charter pertaining to a state’s “right to legitimate defence” and protection of security and sovereignty.

In a lengthy post on social media on Wednesday morning, Kanaani said the Iranian armed forces had acted bravely, referring to Tuesday evening’s launch of a barrage of missiles at Israel.

“The Zionist regime and its supporters should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran acts decisively on what it says,” Kanaani said. “It was proved that Iran’s long hands can reach any point it wants,” he said.

The missile strike on Israel comes after Tehran had promised to retaliate, at a time of its choosing, to Israel’s recent assassination of the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as an IRGC commander in Lebanon.

“The future of the region and West Asia will be drawn by the owners of the region and its authentic and rooted nations, not the rootless and identity-less invaders and aggressors,” Kanaani added.


‘The fact is wherever Israel goes, the US is likely to follow’

Obviously, the US knew this was coming because it telegraphed that an attack was imminent. It seems likely it came from intelligence from satellite imagery or drones.

It could have come from Israel because we understand Iran warned Arab neighbours that this attack was coming. Israel got wind of it and said to Iran it would respond no matter how big or small this action was. So it could be the Israelis told the Americans.

The big question now, though, is what happens next? We’ve heard Prime Minister Netanyahu say Iran’s going to pay for this. President Biden said he will “exact severe consequences”. Those words sound like fighting talk.

But remember, we’ve also been here before. Back in April – when Iran launched attacks against Israel – the US president said something similar. He later had to backtrack because the last thing Joe Biden wants is for this to escalate into a bigger conflict.

The fact is, wherever Israel goes, the US is likely to follow. It says Israel has its full support. Biden doesn’t want this to turn into an all-out war, but if Netanyahu is going that way, it seems likely the US may very well be drawn into it.


Israeli military talks up role of US ‘before, during and after’ Iran missile barrage

The Israeli military appears eager to publicise its close cooperation with the US armed forces “before, during and after the Iranian attack” on Tuesday evening.

In a post on social media featuring two photos and a video clip featuring Israel’s chief of staff Herzi Halevi on a phone call, the military said General Michael Kurilla, chief of US Central Command (CENTCOM), was on the other end of the line.

Israel and the US Army had “acted together”, the Israeli military said, and Halevi’s featured call with Kurilla was “at the end of the attack from Iran”.

The US military assisted in intercepting some of the estimated 200 missiles fired at Israel and the White House publicly offered unequivocal support for Israel in the aftermath of the Iran strike, while some Republican lawmakers called for the US to carry out raids on Iran in response.


Iran tells US not to get involved after its attack on Israel

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran warned the United States against intervening following Iran’s missile strikes on Israel.

“We have … warned the US forces to withdraw from this matter and not to intervene,” Araghchi told state television, adding the message was relayed through the Swiss embassy in Tehran.

President Joe Biden said the United States is “fully supportive” of Israel after the missile attack, adding he would discuss a response later today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Asked by reporters what the response towards Iran would be, Biden replied: “That’s in active discussion right now.”



SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

Footage shows Iranian missiles hitting Israel

Several videos captured missiles hitting Israel during Iran’s attack on Tuesday, including missiles that exploded in the north of Tel Aviv.


Israel’s opposition leader says response to Iran must be ‘tough’

Yair Lapid says Iran will pay a heavy price for its missile attack, adding “in Tehran they know that Israel will come”.

“The response should be tough and send a clear message to the entire axis – Iran, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza,” he posted on X.

“Along with a military response, we must develop an overall regional political strategy that turns military success into strategic change, and we must not forget for one moment the urgent need to return the abductees home.”

Bombing Iran is not going to bring them home...


‘We must act now’: Former Israeli PM Bennett

Naftali Bennett has called for a decisive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying Tehran now stood exposed.

“We must act now to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, its central energy facilities, and to fatally cripple this terrorist regime,” Bennett wrote on X after Iran fired a barrage of missiles.

“We have the justification. We have the tools. Now that Hezbollah and Hamas are paralysed, Iran stands exposed,” wrote Bennett.

Iran has been accused of seeking to develop atomic weapons. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.


South Korea sends military aircraft to evacuate citizens from Israel, region

The Reuters news agency reports that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has ordered military aircraft to deploy immediately to evacuate citizens from Israel and other countries in the region as tensions escalate.

Yoon said all necessary measures must be taken to ensure the safety of South Korean citizens in the region, his office said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the country’s Foreign Ministry urged its citizens in Israel and Lebanon to leave by any means available.


Spain ready to evacuate 350 citizens from Lebanon: Minister

Defence Minister Margarita Robles says Spain plans to send two military aircraft to evacuate hundreds of Spaniards as early as Thursday.

“The Spanish airplanes are ready, the staff are ready, as always with the professionalism of the Spanish army,” she said in an interview with Antena 3 TV station.

A group of 350 Spanish citizens present in Lebanon has asked to go to Spain, Robles said.

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares had said earlier this week that some 1,000 Spaniards were in Lebanon. Beside the 1,000 Spanish citizens in Lebanon, Spain has since 2022 commanded the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and deployed 650 soldiers along the southern Lebanese border with Israel.



SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

Israel bars UN secretary-general from entering country

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz says he is barring UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from entering the country for his failure to “unequivocally condemn” Iran’s huge missile attack on Israel.

Shortly after Iran’s attack, Guterres condemned the escalation of violence in the region, but made no mention of Iran.

“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil,” said Katz in a statement. “This is an anti-Israel Secretary-General who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers.”


‘Deeply concerned’: India urges Israel-Iran restraint

India says it’s “deeply concerned” by the escalating conflict and urges restraint and protection of civilians as Israel prepares to retaliate against a barrage of Iranian missile strikes.

“It is important that the conflict doesn’t take a wider regional dimension and we urge that all issues be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy,” India’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Israeli officials pledged to respond after Iran fired ballistic missiles at key military and security targets in Israel. Iran says the strikes were in response to attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.


Italy to host G7 discussion on escalating crisis

The office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says she will host a call of Group of Seven leaders later today to discuss the escalating crisis.

Meloni told her cabinet that there was “deep concern” about the latest developments, including Iran’s missile attack against Israel and the growing instability in Lebanon, her office said.


China, Saudi Arabia urge Israel-Iran de-escalation

Beijing has urged world powers to prevent the situation in the Middle East from worsening following Iran’s firing of 180 missiles into Israel.

“The Chinese side calls on the international community, especially major influential powers, to truly play a constructive role and prevent the situation from further deteriorating,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Economy Minister Faisal al-Ibrahim said his country is hoping for “de-escalation and dialogue”.


Israel’s response to Iran ‘to be harsher than last time’

Andreas Krieg, senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, says any military response by Israel against Iran is unlikely to damage its nuclear facilities, which are “deep underground, under mountains, so very few options there”.

“The attack by Iran yesterday was far more severe than in April in terms of impact, so the response sent by Israel will have to be harsher than last time with aircraft perhaps entering Iranian airspace and targeting military sites,” Krieg told Al Jazeera.

“I don’t see how attacks on non-military sites, such as oil refineries, would have any impact or be any way justified as a form of response to this strike yesterday.

“What is key here is Israel wants to show resolve and strength, but there’s also a lot of hubris in terms of thinking Israel can achieve something that I think they cannot achieve militarily.”



SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

Iran’s ambassador summoned in Germany

Germany has summoned the Iranian ambassador to condemn Tehran’s missile attack on Israel, a government spokesman said.

“We summoned the Iranian ambassador,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told reporters, adding that the ambassador was not in Berlin and that the charge d’affaires instead responded.


Iran commander threatens ‘higher magnitude’ attacks on Israel

Iran’s armed forces joint chief of staff, General Mohammad Bagheri, says the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is prepared to repeat its missile attack with “multiplied intensity” if Israel retaliates on its territory.

“If the Zionist regime, that has gone insane, is not contained by America and Europe and intends to continue such crimes, or do anything against our sovereignty or territorial integrity, [Tuesday’s] operation will be repeated with much higher magnitude and we will hit all their infrastructure,” said Bagheri.

Iran has avoided targeting Israeli civilians although it is “completely feasible”, he added.


Iran leader to discuss how to stop ‘Israeli crimes’ in the region

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says Israel would “face harsher reactions” if it doesn’t stop what he called “its crimes”.

Pezeshkian made the comments as he left for a scheduled trip to Qatar. He told state television the first goal in Doha is to discuss bilateral ties and sign agreements with the Qatari government. He will also attend a summit of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue.

“The second goal is to discuss how Asian countries can prevent Israeli crimes in the region … and prevent enemies from causing [an] uproar in the Middle East,” Pezeshkian said.



SvennoJ on 02 October 2024

Hezbollah says it forced Israeli soldiers to retreat from Lebanese town

The Lebanese armed group said it confronted Israeli forces infiltrating the southern Lebanese town of Odaisseh early on Wednesday, before pushing them back.

Posting on Telegram, Hezbollah said its forces “clashed with [Israeli soldiers], inflicted losses on them, and forced them to retreat”.


First report of ‘face-to-face fighting’ in southern Lebanon

We have a statement from Hezbollah saying it confronted an Israeli infantry force that attempted to infiltrate the town of Odaisseh at dawn and “inflicted losses forcing it to retreat”.

There are unconfirmed reports of the injured being evacuated out by helicopter. Odaisseh is interesting. When this ground invasion was announced by Israel, there was a long and intense artillery shelling concentrated on three areas – Odaisseh was one of them. It is one of the chokepoints where Israeli soldiers are going to try to come into.

This is the first report of on-the-ground, face-to-face fighting.

We don’t know right now what the Israeli tactics are. What we do know is what we’ve seen in the past: special forces come into southern Lebanon, destroy Hezbollah infrastructure, and then retreat. Is this a blueprint for what we’re going to see?


Israeli forces appear to suffer casualties in first close combat with Hezbollah

We are slowly getting a clearer picture. At the moment there are around 20 ambulances waiting in the north of Israel to receive soldiers that are being evacuated from the Lebanese border area by helicopter. Other than that, it isn’t clear.

We know that in the morning there were various rocket barrages on that area from Lebanon. This is the border area where you have that build-up of Israeli troops.

We also have two confirmed statements. One by the Israeli military saying there were intense clashes at the border between Israel soldiers and Hezbollah forces. That has also been confirmed by Hezbollah. So this seems like the first face-to-face incident since the launch of the ground operation.

As we’ve been reporting, Israel really has the upper hand when it comes to firepower from the sky. But it was always going to be Hezbollah that had the strength, the upper hand, when it came to any potential ground invasion.

This is their territory and certainly it seems – in what is potentially the first face-to-face confrontation – that Israel has sustained heavy casualties.


Repeat of 2006? Why Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon won’t be easy

The last time the Israeli military fought a ground war in Lebanon it was a debacle. That month long war, which began in July 2006, saw Israel’s soldiers bogged down in fierce fighting, as Hezbollah fighters led one Israeli tank column after another into carefully prepared ambushes.

Almost two decades later, the Israeli military said on Tuesday that it had launched a “limited, localised and targeted” ground operation in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. Analysts say Israel could once again become bogged down in yet another protracted war in Lebanon.


Israeli army tanks manoeuvre in a staging area in northern Israel near the Lebanon border on Tuesday