Hezbollah fighters announced yesterday morning that they had targeted the Israeli military site of Matula, located opposite the eastern sector of southern Lebanon, with rockets. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that an anti-tank missile was fired near Matula without causing injuries, and that the Israeli army responded by firing rockets at Hezbollah positions in return.
In the midst of the exchange of rocket fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army on the Lebanese-Israeli front, the Israeli army spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, stated yesterday that Hezbollah has launched ‘more than 1000 different types of ammunition, rockets, shells, drones, mortar shells, and others towards Israel’ since October 8th. He warned that ‘Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into an unnecessary war that could have devastating consequences for the state of Lebanon and its people.’
Conricus expressed Israel’s desire to reach a diplomatic solution to defuse the threat posed by Hezbollah to Israeli forces and civilians along the northern border. However, he hinted that the Israeli army ‘will continue to take the necessary preparations to remove the threat posed by Hezbollah on our borders through the means available to us as an army.’ He pointed out that, considering the scope of the ongoing attacks ‘violating Israeli sovereignty, we are closer to war today than ever before.’
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated yesterday that if it is not possible to ‘restore security in the region’ diplomatically, they will not hesitate to act.
Yesterday, the occupying army carried out artillery shelling on the outskirts of the towns of Al-Khiyam and Kafr Kila, as well as the outskirts of the town of Hula in southern Lebanon.
The occupying forces also targeted the outskirts of the towns of Mays al-Jabal and Bleda in southern Lebanon with several artillery shells, while explosions were heard near the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Shmona.
In the same context, the American website Axios reported that Washington is seeking to reach a diplomatic solution between Lebanon and Israel, especially since President Joe Biden’s administration ‘is deeply concerned that the escalating border skirmishes could lead to a comprehensive war that will be worse than the conflict in Gaza.’ The site explained that Biden’s senior adviser, Amos Hochstein, and other American officials are working on trying to reach such a diplomatic solution, but so far, no significant progress has been made. The site quoted Israeli officials as saying that they informed Washington of their intention to push Hezbollah 6 miles away from the border as part of an agreement to end tensions with Lebanon.
The site also mentioned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant informed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that Israel is ready to give diplomacy a chance provided there is progress within weeks.
