Heavy Israeli attacks against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon serve to prepare for a possible ground offensive, Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said last night. Before that, however, the military infrastructure of the Shia paramilitary organization must first be destroyed.
"Populations that Hezbollah uses as military outposts"
Halevi added that Israel's goal is for the residents of the northern parts of Israel to return to their homes. According to various sources, over 60,000 have been displaced in recent months. In the event of a possible offensive, they will "enter populated areas that Hezbollah uses as large military outposts". However, Israeli soldiers are "much stronger and more experienced" by Hezbollah fighters, the Israeli army also said.
The military also announced that they had mobilized part of their reservists for the operation in the northern part of the country. The announcement was seen as another indication that Israel plans to expand its military operations against Hezbollah.
Hezbollah also keeps shelling Israel
Hours earlier, Hizbullah had for the first time reached Tel Aviv's airspace with rockets. The target was the headquarters of the Mossad, the organization announced. Hezbollah blamed Mossad for the explosion of pagers and radios that killed dozens and injured thousands. The missile was intercepted, the Israeli army said. They also stated that it was aimed at civilian targets and will receive its response.
Israel continues its airstrikes on targets in Lebanon, killing more than 600 people and displacing more than 90,000 from their homes since the beginning of the week. These are the fiercest clashes in two decades. The last full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah broke out in July 2006 and lasted nearly a month.
Meanwhile, the United States, EU countries and several Arab countries have put forward a joint proposal for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which would also allow talks on Gaza to resume. "It is time for an agreement on the Israeli-Lebanese border to ensure safety and security so that the civilian population can return to their homes," President Biden said in a joint statement with Emmanuel Macron. The two warned of the huge risk of the conflict escalating throughout the region and urged Israel and Lebanon to immediately accept the proposal.
Alexander Detev editor