ARABIAN TIMES NEWS NETWORK
On August 25, Lebanon’s Hezbollah delivered a significant blow to Israel by launching a large-scale military attack. The Lebanese resistance movement fired a barrage of 320 Katyusha rockets and deployed drones to target nearly a dozen Israeli military facilities, including the regime’s Iron Dome platforms. This operation, described as the “first phase” of Hezbollah’s response, was carried out in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of its top commander, Fuad Shukr, in Beirut on July 30.
Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, referred to the attack as the “Arbaeen Operation,” emphasizing that it completed the initial phase of their response, with more actions anticipated. The main target of the operation was the Glilot base, the principal Israeli military intelligence base, located near Tel Aviv. Nasrallah noted that the resistance movement had no plans to target Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport, or the Israeli Defense Ministry building during this attack. However, he indicated that Hezbollah might use precision-guided missiles in future operations.
The Israeli army claimed that it had conducted preemptive strikes against Hezbollah earlier on Sunday, asserting that it had targeted the movement’s rocket launchers across Lebanon. However, Hezbollah dismissed these claims as “empty” and “baseless,” stating that the areas hit by Israel were unrelated to the “Arbaeen Operation.”
The aftermath of Hezbollah’s attack reverberated across Israel, prompting the country’s war minister, Yoav Gallant, to declare a state of emergency for the next 48 hours. This allowed the Israeli army to impose restrictions on public gatherings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take all necessary measures to “defend” Israel, though such defense has often resulted in severe civilian casualties under the guise of self-defense.
The attack also triggered a response from international airlines, with several, including Air France, Etihad Airways, and Aegean Airlines, canceling flights to and from Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. This was seen as a precautionary measure in light of the escalating conflict.
In Lebanon, Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for efforts to halt the escalation, stressing the need to stop Israeli aggression. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement and Yemen’s Ansarullah praised Hezbollah’s actions, with Hamas describing the attack as a “slap in the face” for Israel and Ansarullah lauding the “effective” response.
Hezbollah’s latest strike has raised concerns about the potential for an all-out regional war. Despite Hezbollah’s assertion that it does not seek direct conflict with Israel, the movement remains prepared for such a scenario if provoked. With a formidable arsenal of missiles and a large number of fighters, Hezbollah’s actions have once again highlighted Israel’s vulnerabilities and the precariousness of the current situation in the region.
