Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Lebanon may face destruction “like Gaza” and claimed Israel has killed slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s “alternative, and the alternative of his alternative”.
Netanyahu’s remarks got here in a video message addressed to Lebanese residents on Tuesday, by which he additionally claimed Hezbollah is “weaker than it has been for a lot of, a few years”.
The Israeli military beforehand mentioned it had focused prime 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 up to now unknown.
There was no remark from the Lebanese armed group but on Netanyahu’s newest remarks.
“You will have a possibility to avoid wasting Lebanon earlier than it falls into the abyss of a protracted warfare that can result in destruction and struggling like we see in Gaza,” Netanyahu mentioned in his handle, referring to the besieged enclave that has been below a relentless and bloody Israeli bombardment marketing campaign for one yr.
Israel’s persevering with assault on Gaza has devastated the territory and killed at the least 41,965 folks, based on Palestinian well being authorities, and almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced at the least as soon as.
Netanyahu’s stark warning got here because the Israeli army 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 mentioned it fired rockets on the Israeli port metropolis of Haifa, its biggest-yet rocket barrage on the space, after the Israeli army reported 85 projectiles crossing from Lebanon.
Israel expanded its incursion in Lebanon almost a yr after it started exchanging fireplace with Hezbollah. The Lebanese group says its strikes are in assist 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 in opposition to Israel, and on Tuesday Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem mentioned the group would make it unimaginable for Israelis to return to the north.
Israel launched a wave of strikes in opposition to Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on September 23, leaving at the least 1,473 folks lifeless since then.
Israeli assaults have focused southern and japanese Lebanon, in addition to southern and central Beirut, forcing greater than 1,000,000 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 army mentioned its 146th Division started “restricted, localised, focused operational actions” in opposition to what it claimed are Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southwestern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s deputy chief mentioned regardless of Israel’s “painful” strikes, the group’s management construction was so as and its army capabilities had been “positive”.
“Netanyahu says he needs to deliver again” the displaced to their properties in northern Israel, Qassem mentioned.
However “we are saying that many extra residents can be pressured to flee” their properties, he warned.
Army and safety analyst Elijah Magnier mentioned that Qassem has turn into “the spokesperson of Hezbollah”, and gave the impression to be “in management”.
“That is his second look after the start of the warfare 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 isn’t saying, ‘I’m the brand new secretary-general’ as a result of there may be going to be an election [but] it’s not going to occur quickly as a result of there is no such thing as a want.”
“Now, if the Israelis have stopped the clock on their time, they’re actually going to be very dissatisfied as a result of Hezbollah has absorbed this hit and is transferring ahead,” Magnier mentioned.