Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Lebanon may face destruction “like Gaza” and claimed Israel has killed slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s “substitute, and the substitute of his substitute”.
Netanyahu’s remarks got here in a video message addressed to Lebanese residents on Tuesday, through which he additionally claimed Hezbollah is “weaker than it has been for a lot of, a few years”.
The Israeli military beforehand stated it had focused high Hezbollah commander Hashem Safieddine, who was tipped to be the successor to Nasrallah, in an air strike on Beirut final week, however his destiny is to this point unknown.
There was no remark from the Lebanese armed group but on Netanyahu’s newest remarks.
“You may have a chance to save lots of Lebanon earlier than it falls into the abyss of an extended conflict that can result in destruction and struggling like we see in Gaza,” Netanyahu stated in his tackle, referring to the besieged enclave that has been below a relentless and bloody Israeli bombardment marketing campaign for one 12 months.
Israel’s persevering with assault on Gaza has devastated the territory and killed not less than 41,965 folks, in keeping with Palestinian well being authorities, and practically all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced not less than as soon as.
Netanyahu’s stark warning got here because the Israeli navy deployed extra troops to Lebanon and ordered folks in southern coastal areas, and in areas of the capital Beirut’s southern suburbs, to evacuate.
Hezbollah earlier stated it fired rockets on the Israeli port metropolis of Haifa, its biggest-yet rocket barrage on the space, after the Israeli navy reported 85 projectiles crossing from Lebanon.
Israel expanded its incursion in Lebanon practically a 12 months after it started exchanging fireplace with Hezbollah. The Lebanese group says its strikes are in help of Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel has promised to safe its northern border with Lebanon to permit tens of 1000’s of Israelis to return to cities and settlements there.
Hezbollah’s Qassem ‘calm’ and ‘in management’
Each the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, have pledged no let-up towards Israel, and on Tuesday Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem stated the group would make it unattainable for Israelis to return to the north.
Israel launched a wave of strikes towards Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on September 23, leaving not less than 1,473 folks lifeless since then.
Israeli assaults have focused southern and jap Lebanon, in addition to southern and central Beirut, forcing greater than one million folks to flee and putting an enormous pressure on the nation’s healthcare system.
Whereas Lebanon’s coast has not been spared, Israel’s newest evacuation warning suggests it’s extending its offensive northwards.
On its Telegram channel, the Israeli navy stated its 146th Division started “restricted, localised, focused operational actions” towards what it claimed are Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southwestern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s deputy chief stated regardless of Israel’s “painful” strikes, the group’s management construction was so as and its navy capabilities have been “effective”.
“Netanyahu says he needs to deliver again” the displaced to their houses in northern Israel, Qassem stated.
However “we are saying that many extra residents will probably be pressured to flee” their houses, he warned.
Army and safety analyst Elijah Magnier stated that Qassem has change into “the spokesperson of Hezbollah”, and seemed to be “in management”.
“That is his second look after the start of the conflict on Lebanon in the previous few weeks. He’s showing extra assured, he’s extra calm, he’s in management,” Magnier advised Al Jazeera.
“He’s not saying, ‘I’m the brand new secretary-general’ as a result of there’s going to be an election [but] it’s not going to occur quickly as a result of there isn’t a want.”
“Now, if the Israelis have stopped the clock on their time, they’re actually going to be very disillusioned as a result of Hezbollah has absorbed this hit and is shifting ahead,” Magnier stated.
