Israeli strikes against Hezbollah ‘not the end of the story’, says Benjamin Netanyahu

Jerusalem, August 25

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel took pre-emptive action against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon and that all drones launched against a strategic target in central Israel were intercepted.

He said that the leaders of Hezbollah and Iran should know that the response was “another step towards changing the situation in the north and returning our residents safely to their homes” and that “this is not the end of the story”.

Meanwhile, Israel and the Lebanon-based group Hezbollah exchanged messages via intermediaries on Sunday in order to prevent further escalation following one of the biggest exchanges of fire between the two foes in 10 months, two diplomats told Reuters.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday that his group would assess the impact of its rocket and drone attack on Israeli military targets earlier in the day before determining whether it would carry out further attacks to avenge a slain commander. — Reuters

Where things stand now

Is this the start of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah?

The exchange of fire does not appear to have set off a long-feared war, but tensions remain high. Hezbollah officials have said the group does not seek a wider war but is prepared for one. Both sides have until now been careful to avoid actions that might trigger all-out war, and they may back down after Sunday’s exchange.

What would a war between Israel and Hezbollah look like?

A full-scale war could force hundreds of thousands of Israelis to flee, paralyse the Israeli economy and force the army, which is still engaged in Gaza, to fight on two fronts.

Would a war draw in the US, Iran and others?

An all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah could spiral into a region-wide conflict. Iran is a patron of Hezbollah, Hamas and other militant groups in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Iran-backed groups across the region have repeatedly attacked Israeli, US and international targets since the start of the war in Gaza and could ramp them up in a bid to take pressure off Hezbollah. The United States, meanwhile, has pledged ironclad support for Israel and moved a vast array of military assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, to the region. AP

What weapons does Hezbollah have?

• The Iran-backed group possesses upwards of 150,000 missiles and rockets, according to the World Factbook of the US Central Intelligence Agency.
• Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in 2021 the group had 100,000 fighters. The CIA says it was estimated to have up to 45K fighters.
• Hezbollah has mounted numerous attacks with one-way explosive drones.
• Hezbollah first proved it had anti-ship missiles in 2006, when it hit an Israeli warship, killing four Israeli personnel. Reuters