Israel Vows to Unleash Full Fury on Hezbollah, Defying Global Calls for Ceasefire

3 hours ago

Tom Bennett, BBC News (London)

The United States, Britain and other countries are calling for an immediate 21-day ceasefire over the fighting between Hezbollah, a Shiite Islamic group based in Lebanon, and Israel, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 28th urged the military to continue fighting Hezbollah with “all its might.” instructed.

At least 92 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese territory on the 26th, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. In all, more than several hundred people have been killed since Israeli airstrikes escalated on the 23rd.

Hezbollah has confirmed that it attacked an apartment complex in southern Beirut, killing Mohamed Suroor, head of the group’s drone unit.

Israel’s airstrikes on Lebanon intensified on the 23rd. There are growing concerns that the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah will escalate into an all-out war.

In response to the increase in hostilities, 12 countries and regions, including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union (EU), and Japan, issued a statement on the 25th calling for the immediate start of a 21-day ceasefire.

The proposal for an immediate cease-fire was initially met with excitement, as Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said his country was “open to proposals.”

However, by the 26th, the idea had been completely rejected by Israeli politicians.

Netanyahu, who was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said his country “does not intend to stop” operations in Lebanon until all objectives are achieved. Objectives include the safe return of people evacuated from northern Israel.

The White House said the proposed ceasefire had been “coordinated” with Israel, but hours later Netanyahu insisted on continuing fighting.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a speech at the United Nations, called for an “immediate ceasefire to give space for a diplomatic solution” to resolve the conflict in Lebanon.

Mr Starmer said the conflict could turn into a war “that no one can control”.

The current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been going on for nearly a year, starting with the war between Israel and the Islamic group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Approximately 70,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in northern Israel.

According to the United Nations, 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, in addition to the 110,000 people who fled before Israel’s escalation on the 23rd.

Over the course of the 26th, the Israeli military announced that it had attacked Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa Valley (highlands) of southern and eastern Lebanon.

They also attacked infrastructure along the Lebanese-Syrian border. Israel claims this is to cut off weapons supplies to Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced that it fired 50 rockets toward the Kiryat Ata settlement in northern Israel and 80 missiles toward the city of Safed.

On the Israeli side, sirens and multiple explosions rang out. The Israeli military said it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen.

Possibility of ground attack, diplomatic solution

Israeli Air Force Maj. Gen. Tomar Barr told his troops on Wednesday to “stand ready” to support “ground operations” into Lebanon.

Under these circumstances, Qatar has also joined the call for easing tensions. Spokesman Majed al-Ansari said he had received “horrifying reports from the Lebanese side that entire families were being targeted in a manner similar to the atrocities in Gaza.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said after consulting with his British and Australian counterparts in London that Israel and Hezbollah face the risk of “all-out war” but that “a diplomatic solution is still viable.”

“Israel says its purpose (of the fighting) is to return its people to their homes in the north. I think diplomacy is the quickest way to achieve that.”

On the evening of the 26th, Israel’s defense minister announced that Israel had secured a US aid package worth .7 billion (approximately 1.26 trillion yen) to support ongoing military operations.

The package includes $3.5 billion for “wartime supplies” that have already been delivered, and $5.2 billion for air defense systems such as the Iron Dome and David Sling, the ministry said in a statement. is included.