Hezbollah Accused of 'Imposing' War on Lebanon by Christian Bloc
On Wednesday, Hezbollah launched its largest rocket attack on northern Israel since the end of August. Around midday, nearly 50 rocket sirens were triggered across settlements and towns in northern Israel as approximately 65 missiles were fired.
The Israeli settlement of Kiryat Shmona was struck, according to Israeli media, causing fires in nearby fields - a common occurrence in the conflict with Hezbollah. The settlements of Malchia, Ramot Naftali, and Beit Hillel were also targeted, but it remains uncertain how many projectiles actually landed.
Israel's Defense Response
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that anti-air systems were able to intercept a number of rockets, while others were not shot down.
Prior to Wednesday's attack, Hezbollah's daily rocket fire had significantly decreased and was in a period of relative calm. The IDF had launched a large-scale 'preemptive attack' on Lebanon last month, an action that Israeli officials believe led to a reduction in the intensity of Hezbollah attacks in the following week.
The Jerusalem Post provided the following analysis of the recent daily statistics:
The military did not explain why it missed certain rockets, though given the context, the sudden large volume after a relatively quiet period may have partially taken the air defense apparatus by surprise.
Before August 25, Hezbollah had sometimes launched 100 or even 200 rockets in a day against Israel's North and was frequently launching dozens per day.
Hezbollah's Renewed Aggression
On Wednesday, it became evident that Hezbollah had once again crossed a threshold, challenging Israel with more rocket attacks after a period in which it appeared to have been deterred by the IDF's preemptive strike on August 25.
However, the Israeli preemptive strikes in August are still having their intended effect of serving as a significant warning to the entire Lebanese government and populace.
Since October 7, Israel has threatened to "bomb Lebanon back to the stone age" - a phrase often repeated by Israeli officials - if Hezbollah continues to escalate its attacks, which have resulted in the evacuation of around 80,000 Israelis from their homes.
Christian Political Party's Accusations
On Sunday, Samir Geagea, the leader of the Christian political party Lebanese Forces (LF), accused Hezbollah of "confiscating the Lebanese people's decision on war and peace, as if there were no state". He has accused the Shia paramilitary group of endangering the entire nation against the will of the Lebanese people.
Geagea stated that the tit-for-tat conflict on the southern border is "a war that the Lebanese people reject, but has been imposed on them."
"This is a war that the Lebanese people do not want and over which the government has had no say. This war does not serve Lebanon, it has brought nothing to Gaza, nor alleviated its suffering one iota," he added.
Bottom Line
The escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel continues to have significant implications for the people of Lebanon. The Christian political party's accusations against Hezbollah suggest a deepening divide within the country. What are your thoughts on this issue? Please share this article with your friends and let us know your views. You can also sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.
