As fighting continues in Gaza, fears are increasing over growing tension between Israel and Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon. The US special envoy Amos Hochstein has arrived in the region, as part of American efforts to prevent the escalation from turning into an all-out war. The representative of the American president Joe Biden met the prime minister in Jerusalem Benjamin Netanyahu,together with the Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, the national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, the military secretary Roman Goffman,the political advisor About stain and the deputy U.S. ambassador to Israel Stephanie Hallett. Hochstein also had a face-to-face meeting with the president Isaac Herzog and meetings with opposition leaders are expected later Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, after the latter’s exit from the war cabinet. The goal, a spokesperson for the American embassy said, is to “further prevent escalation along the border between Israel and Lebanon.”
Alarms have emerged in recent days against the hypothesis of a limited land invasion of the Land of the Cedars. Yesterday, the spokesman for the Israeli armed forces Daniel Hagari He warned that Hezbollah’s “increasing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a broader escalation, which could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region.” “Israel will take the necessary measures to protect its civilians until security is restored along the border with Lebanon,” she assured.
As the Israeli spokesperson reported David Mencer, Since October 7, the pro-Iranian Shiite group has launched over 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and explosive drones from Lebanon towards Israel. “We are defending ourselves from Hezbollah’s aggression. There is no territorial dispute between Lebanon and Israel”, the northern border of the Jewish State is “exactly where the UN has established it should be”, he added, underlining that the movement led by Hassan Nasrallah bears “full responsibility” for the deterioration of security in the north of the country. “Diplomatically or militarily, one way or another, we will return the Israelis to their homes in northern Israel,” Mencer concluded.
Hezbollah intensified its attacks last week after its commander, Taleb Abdallah, was killed in an Israeli attack, the highest-ranking man to be killed since the start of the current conflict. Also today, the IDF claimed responsibility for a new attack in southern Lebanon, which cost the life of a “prominent” member of the missile unit, Muhammad Ayoub. Israeli fighter jets also hit a building used by Hezbollah in Mays al-Jabal. Meanwhile, Netanyahu dissolved the war cabinet, whose creation had been requested by National Unity leader Benny Gantz to join the government. After the latter’s exit, together with his party colleague Gadi Eisenkot, only the prime minister and the defense minister remained Yoav Gallant, together with Dermer and the leader of the ultra-Orthodox party Shas Aryeh There. So it no longer had any reason to exist and was dismantled, explained an official from the prime minister’s office. A move expected in light of renewed pressure from the Minister for National Security and far-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir to join in order to have a say in war decisions. The prime minister and defense minister will hold ad hoc consultations with other relevant officials to make key decisions on the war, while seeking final approval from the broader security cabinet.