The head of the Israeli military threatened to retaliate further for any additional attacks from the northern border of Lebanon, while neighboring Syria issued a warning to Israel after accusing Israel of its recent air strikes.
In a speech delivered during a visit to Israel’s Northern Command on Tuesday, Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), responded The launch of two rockets From Lebanese territory to Israel’s Western Galilee. The Israel Defense Forces said late on Monday that early Tuesday, local time, the Iron Dome defense system intercepted one rocket while the other landed on the open ground.
The hostilities are the latest event to shake the turbulent border between Israel and Lebanon. The country’s economy has suffered a severe decline due to the financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and the political paralysis of the country’s ruling class. Kovac blamed the severe situation facing Lebanon on the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
“Lebanon is in the process of collapse-Hezbollah has contributed to the collapse,” Kovac said. “But because of this collapse, we do not plan to allow the rocket launch that happened this morning.”
He warned of revenge, whether it was visible or invisible.
Kovac said: “We will respond openly and secretly to any violation of Israeli sovereignty by Lebanon, no matter who it is.”
Soon after the rocket crossed the border, the IDF stated that it had shelled Lebanese territory.
Attacks from both sides of the border are confirmed Weekly newspaper At that time by United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
A UNIFIL spokesperson said: “Just before 4 a.m. today, UNIFIL radar detected a rocket fire from the northwestern area of Kullera.” “Our radar subsequently detected return fire from the Israel Defense Forces.”
The task of the force is to patrol the turbulent border on behalf of the United Nations and said it is working to prevent the situation from escalating.
The spokesperson said: “UNIFIL is in direct contact with all parties to urge maximum restraint and avoid further escalation.” “Our liaison and coordination mechanisms are fully involved. Together with the Lebanese Armed Forces, we have strengthened the region’s Safe and launched an investigation.”
The Lebanese Armed Forces Steering Bureau later issued its own statement on this series of incidents.
The statement said: “On July 20, 2021, between 3.35 and 4.45, the Terra Amiz Wadi Hamur area was bombed by Israeli enemy artillery. There were no reports of casualties or damage.” The 12,155-caliber artillery shells were attacked in the background when the enemy claimed that two missiles had landed on the occupied territories and came from Lebanon.”
The Lebanese military then appeared to confirm the claims of Israel and UNIFIL and found a piece of conclusive evidence: three devices designed to launch 122 mm Grad rockets, one of which had not been launched, and was subsequently banned by military units.
Lebanese Ministry of Information
The official Lebanese State News Agency also reported on Tuesday that Lebanese soldiers had set up checkpoints on roads in the area to check vehicle registration and ID cards.
No country, group or individual claimed responsibility for these attacks, which is reminiscent of three similar rocket launches in May during the fierce battle between the Israeli army and the Palestinian faction led by the Hamas movement in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian protesters also rushed across Lebanon’s security fences, drawing fire from the Israel Defense Forces, killing at least one person.
Late Tuesday, the Lebanese Armed Forces also accused Israel of violating Lebanese airspace through an “enemy reconnaissance plane” flying to the Vietnamese town of Naqoura. Official media have documented more incidents, including the firing of smoke bombs near a shepherd in the Barakat al-Naqar area outside the town of Shebaa, and the firing of weapons in the Syrian Golan Heights, which has been under Israeli control since 1967.
Lebanon reports that such activities in the Golan Heights often coincide with Israeli military exercises conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in disputed areas on Tuesday.
Like Lebanon, Syria has still been at war with Israel technically since 1948, when the League of Arab States fought for the first time over the establishment of Israel in territories claimed by the Palestinians. Two more Arab-Israeli conflicts occurred in 1967 and 1971. Israel fought two more conflicts in Lebanon, initially fighting against Palestinian guerrillas and Hezbollah. The organization is still active in southern Lebanon today.
Although the border between Israel and Lebanon remains tense, Israel regularly conducts air strikes on Syria, which were carried out a few hours before the launch of a rocket from Lebanon to Israel on Tuesday.
Was asked to comment at the time, IDF told Weekly newspaper “We do not comment on foreign media reports.”
However, the Syrian Ministry of Defense quickly blamed Israel for the attack and stated that most of the incoming missiles were shot down by the air defense system while targeting the Al-Safira area in Aleppo.
On Tuesday, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly criticized Israel for its involvement in air strikes, accusing the country of assisting radical organizations such as the Islamic State and the Nusra Front, violating international law and disrespecting the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha.
The statement said: “The Syrian Arab Republic believes that this aggression is a declaration of Israel’s bankruptcy and the failure of the West-Israeli subversion plan, and warns of the dangerous consequences of’Israel’ due to its continuous attacks. False excuses, its continued support of armed terrorist organizations, and Continue to occupy Arab lands, including the occupied Syrian Golan.”
The Ministry called on the UN Security Council to “take up its responsibilities within the framework of the UN Charter, the most important of which is to maintain international peace and security, condemn and take responsibility for the flagrant Israeli attacks, and take resolute and immediate measures to prevent them from happening again. And to force Israel to abide by its resolutions and hold it accountable for the terrorism and crimes against the Syrian people.”
Israel accuses Syria of harbouring Iranian-backed forces, setting up forward operating bases and transferring weapons in its planned mission to support the Syrian president Bashar Assad During his decade-long civil war against insurgents and jihadists.
Israel’s ally, the United States, is also active in Syria and has launched air strikes against militias suspected of Iran’s support when the US positions in Iraq have been attacked by rockets. Although Washington maintains a partnership with Baghdad, it has severed ties with the Assad government in Damascus and has instead cooperated with the Syrian Democratic Forces, which are mainly Kurdish militias.
As for Lebanon, the United States, along with Israel, expressed disappointment over the influence of Iran, Syria and Hezbollah in the country.
On Tuesday, the White House extended a 14-year national emergency related to Lebanon “in response to unusual and extraordinary threats to US national security and foreign policy,” according to a statement echoing past contract renewals.
This threat is attributed to “some people’s actions to undermine Lebanon’s legitimate and democratically elected government or democratic institutions; to contribute to the deliberate destruction of Lebanon’s rule of law, including politically motivated violence and intimidation; to reaffirm Syria’s control or to encourage Syria’s Lebanon’s interference; or infringement or undermining Lebanese sovereignty.”
The statement said, “Such actions will cause political and economic instability in the country and the region.”
As in previous years, the White House specifically targeted Hezbollah and Iran.
“Certain ongoing activities, such as Iran’s continued arms transfers to Hezbollah-including increasingly advanced weapon systems-undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty, contribute to political and economic instability in the region, and continue It poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to Lebanon. The national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the statement said.
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As Lebanon’s plight continues to intensify, the country’s political plight once again clearly deteriorated on Thursday, when Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned to President Michel Aoun. Hariri served as prime minister twice before, but eventually resigned both times.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony winked Hariri’s recent decision to step down was described as “another disappointing development for the Lebanese people”.
The senior U.S. diplomat said: “It is vital to form a government that is committed to and can implement priority reforms now.” “The government must also start preparing for the 2022 parliamentary elections. The elections should be held on time and in a free and fair manner. Way.”
Brinken called on Lebanese leaders to overcome their differences for the common cause of saving the country.
“Lebanon’s political class has spent the past nine months lavishly. The Lebanese economy is in free fall and the current government is not providing basic services in a reliable way,” he said. “Beirut’s leaders must urgently put aside their party differences and form a government that serves the Lebanese people. This is what the Lebanese people urgently need.”
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