Israeli troops attacked by Hezbollah as Lebanon’s Beirut struck again
- Hezbollah says it has detonated a bomb against Israeli troops attempting to enter the village of Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon as Israel launches new air raids on Beirut.
- Iranian source tells Al Jazeera Iran sent a message to the US via Qatar saying that it does not seek regional war but adding that “the phase of unilateral self-restraint has ended”. It also warned any Israeli attack would be met with an “unconventional response” that includes targeting Israeli infrastructure.
Fighting Hezbollah a ‘reality check’ for Israel
It looks like another incident, another severe incident for the Israelis on the border. Hezbollah said it detonated explosives on the Golani Brigade, one of Israel’s elite brigades fighting on the ground there.
Israeli Telegram channels are reporting the same thing, saying that helicopters are evacuating many wounded, potentially dead, to hospitals close to Haifa in the north of Israel.
It really is giving a very quick reality check to Israel, which has been enjoying a lot of confidence and the feeling of victory and invincibility in its air campaign over the last two weeks or so. It is very difficult and different for them on the ground.
They do know this. Every single soldier who goes into this battle knows that Hezbollah is not Hamas.
This is a far more formidable, trained fighting force.
So it is going to be very difficult. And I think the longer that we’re going to have this news that Israeli forces are sustaining a lot of injuries and fatalities, at some point, the tide with public opinion will change.
Lebanon crises takes eyes off Israel’s war on Gaza
Palestinians fear the crisis in Lebanon is diverting the world’s attention from Gaza where Israeli attacks killed dozens more this week and diminished already dim prospects for a ceasefire.
“The focus is on Lebanon, which means the war in Gaza isn’t ending anytime soon,” said Hussam Ali, 45, a Gaza City resident.
With attention swinging to Lebanon, the war on Gaza risks being prolonged, said Ashraf Abouelhoul, managing editor of state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram in Egypt.
“The most dangerous thing isn’t that the media attention is going elsewhere. It is the fact that no one in the world is now talking about a deal or a ceasefire, and that frees Israel’s hand to continue its military offensive and plans in Gaza.”
‘Phase of unilateral self-restraint has ended,’ Iran tells US in indirect message: Official
An Iranian source has told Al Jazeera that Iran has sent a message to the United States, via Qatar, addressing the rising regional tensions.
In the message, Tehran told Washington that “the phase of unilateral self-restraint has ended.”
It also said any Israeli attack would meet an “unconventional response” that includes targeting Israeli infrastructure.
The indirect message also emphasised that Iran does not want a regional war, the official said.
Israel attack on Lebanon ‘severely weakens’ recovery prospects
S&P Global Ratings says Israel’s military action in Lebanon “severely weakened” recovery prospects for Lebanon’s already fragile economy.
The ratings agency said the surge in fighting and attacks in Lebanon could persist into next year and also spread to other parts of the country.
“The loss of human lives, damage to infrastructure, rising fiscal costs of war, population displacement, and declining tourism revenue, alongside changing political dynamics given the weakening of Hezbollah, will put severe pressure on Lebanon’s economy,” S&P said in a media release.
“It will also further delay economic and financial reforms, and the longer-term recovery of fiscal and external accounts.”
Fighting Hezbollah a ‘reality check’ for Israel
It looks like another incident, another severe incident for the Israelis on the border. Hezbollah said it detonated explosives on the Golani Brigade, one of Israel’s elite brigades fighting on the ground there.
Israeli Telegram channels are reporting the same thing, saying that helicopters are evacuating many wounded, potentially dead, to hospitals close to Haifa in the north of Israel.
It really is giving a very quick reality check to Israel, which has been enjoying a lot of confidence and the feeling of victory and invincibility in its air campaign over the last two weeks or so. It is very difficult and different for them on the ground.
They do know this. Every single soldier who goes into this battle knows that Hezbollah is not Hamas.
This is a far more formidable, trained fighting force.
So it is going to be very difficult. And I think the longer that we’re going to have this news that Israeli forces are sustaining a lot of injuries and fatalities, at some point, the tide with public opinion will change.
