With continued warnings to Lebanese residents to leave homes used by Hezbollah to store weapons, the massive Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) operation continues.
At least one person was killed, according to Lebanese media. As reported by the country’s National News Agency (NNA), “enemy aircraft launched more than 80 airstrikes in half an hour,” targeting mainly the Nabatiya region but also the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon’s interior, near the border with Syria.
According to NNA, one pastor was killed in the airstrikes, while 6 more people were injured.
The message to IDF residents
Lebanese residents received a message from Israeli forces, which said: “If you are in a building that has Hezbollah weapons, stay away until further notice.”
Warning to residents of South Lebanon and West Lebanon: “If you are in a building that has the means to fight God, stay away from it until further notice” pic.twitter.com/zGMwDE9tzB
— roi kais • רועי קאיס • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) September 23, 2024
Over 150 targets were hit – Sirens and in Israel
In its official statement, the IDF said it had struck more than 150 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Dozens of fighter jets took part in the operation, which the Israeli military said was decided after evidence emerged that Hezbollah was preparing a major rocket attack on Israel. It should be recalled that a few days ago the Israeli army also said that the Lebanese terrorist organization, which is backed by Iran, was preparing a “new October 7th” in Galilee.
Sirens are now sounding in several communities in northern Israel, bordering Lebanon, due to suspected drone attacks.
The Revolutionary Guard searches for traitors
At the same time, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ordered all members to stop using any kind of communication devices after thousands of Hezbollah buzzers and radios were blown up in Lebanon.
According to the Times of Israel, a large-scale operation is underway by the Revolutionary Guards to inspect all devices, not just communications equipment. Most were manufactured in Iran or imported from China and Russia.
Iran is concerned about the infiltration of Israeli agents, including Iranians on Israel’s payroll, and has already launched a thorough personnel investigation targeting mid- and high-ranking members of the IRGC, the official said, declining to be identified.
What will be the next step?
For nearly a year, Israel has been waging a defensive war on its border with Lebanon. Since October 8, the pattern has been familiar. Civilians on both sides of the border have fled. Hezbollah has fired missiles, rockets and drones. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have responded with airstrikes.
In the recent period, however, after the assassination of the organization’s top executives, but also the show of force with the explosions of bells and radios, the situation has deteriorated dangerously. No one is now ruling out the possibility of a ground invasion of Lebanon by Israel, which has clearly shifted its focus from Gaza to the north.
The airstrikes are now reaching much deeper into Lebanon and are not limited to the borders. Hezbollah, still reeling from the latest Israeli strikes, was slow to respond. But in the early hours of September 22, it fired 115 rockets into northern Israel.
Despite the escalation, we are not yet at an all-out war. Neither side has mobilized its full firepower. For Hezbollah, this would mean launching long-range rockets at key political and military sites in central Israel and multiple ground incursions into Israeli territory.
For Israel, it would involve a much broader bombing campaign against Hezbollah, including launching sites in densely populated areas. The aim is to destroy urban infrastructure and turn the Lebanese population against the organization. Military sources say Israel is already planning a ground offensive that would involve seizing a buffer zone spanning several kilometers of land north of the border.
However, there are differing positions within the Israeli cabinet. Some advocate a much faster escalation, arguing that Israel should take advantage of the chaos in Hezbollah’s ranks to destroy a much larger portion of its capabilities and seize territory. More cautious strategists, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallad, favor more gradual steps that would give Hezbollah room to reassess its position and pull back.
Benjamin Netanyahu has promised that the northerners will return safely to their homes. “Our goals are clear and our actions speak for themselves,” he insists. And he has the final say.