Rocket and drone exchanges between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah over the recent days are threatening to ignite a new phase of conflict in the region. Hezbollah launched large-scale attacks into northern Israel over the weekend, which led to widespread fires. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi indicated on Tuesday that Israel is preparing for a war in Lebanon: “We are prepared after a very good process of training—up to the level of a military exercise—to move to an attack in the north. Strong defense, readiness to attack, we are approaching a decision point.”
Then on Wednesday, Netanyahu visited the northern city of Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, and said Israel is prepared for “very intense action” in the north: “Whoever thinks that they can hurt us and that we will sit idly by is making a big mistake,” the prime minister said according to CNN. “One way or another, we will restore security to the north.”
The far-right crowd is now being fully mobilized. On Wednesday, Ben Gvir said on Telegram: “It cannot be that our land is being targeted and harmed, and people here have evacuated. All Hezbollah strongholds must be burned and destroyed. War!” Smotrich, for his part, wrote on X that: “Just a few hours ago I was warned that the situation in the north is deteriorating and the security zone must move from Israel to southern Lebanon.”
Adding to this, Hezbollah struck the northern Israeli town of Hurfeish Wednesday with multiple drones. While reports vary as to the casualties, there were at least 10 injured, many of whom are clearly identified as soldiers. Hezbollah took credit for the attack.
Of note, Hezbollah’s leader Nasrallah had said in a video address May 31, according to Al Jazeera, that Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel are to “pressure” Israel to stop the war in Gaza, but that it “also concerns the future of Lebanon and its water and oil resources.”
If it wasn’t already clear, the best way to bring this conflict to an end is an immediate ceasefire and the launching of the LaRouche Oasis Plan for the development of all countries in the region—before a wider war erupts.
