Lebanese relief as Hezbollah and Israel seem to step back from the brink
For nearly a month, many in Lebanon have been anxiously awaiting Hezbollah’s retaliation against Israel. The entire region has been on edge, wondering if this would ignite a larger conflict.
It was widely anticipated that the powerful Iranian-backed group would seek retribution for Israel’s assassination of top military commander Fuad Shukr on July 30. The Israelis managed to track him down deep within Hezbollah’s stronghold in South Beirut, dealing both a strategic blow and a public humiliation.
Just hours later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, in what appeared to be another Israeli operation. However, Iran continues to signal that its response may be part of a longer-term strategy.
At 5:15 a.m. on Sunday, Hezbollah made its move, launching over 300 Katyusha rockets and deploying numerous drones across the border into Israel. This calculated act of revenge was less severe than some had expected.
Hezbollah claimed to have targeted 11 military bases and barracks, deeming the attack a success, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that most of the rockets missed their targets.
Notably, Hezbollah refrained from striking major Israeli cities or critical infrastructure, and did not deploy its most powerful weaponry. Despite being labeled a terrorist organization by both the UK and the US, Hezbollah is believed to possess a formidable arsenal, surpassing that of many nations.
Israel, however, struck first at 4:30 a.m., sending fighter jets to bombard Hezbollah firing positions. According to the IDF, this “pre-emptive strike” destroyed thousands of rocket launchers.
This marks the largest escalation since the Gaza war erupted last October, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel in a single day.
Since then, Hezbollah has been trading fire with Israel across their shared border, showing support for its ally Hamas, and proclaiming solidarity with the people of Gaza.
So where are we now, one day on? Surprisingly, perhaps, the Middle East may be a little safer.
Both sides have delivered a message but stopped short of all-out war. And Hezbollah has signaled it’s ready to close the Fuad Shukr chapter – for the moment.
“We reserve our right to continue the response at a later point, but for now, the people can be at ease and carry on with their lives,” said Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah.
After a tense month, that was a welcome message for many here.
He was addressing his supporters on TV from an undisclosed location – he might be at the top of Israel’s assassination list.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, said Sunday’s strikes against Hezbollah were “not the end of the story”.
But diplomats told the Reuters news agency that both sides had exchanged messages saying they didn’t want a further escalation.
Here in southern Lebanon, there is already a return to the usual low-level conflict.
Israel has just attempted another assassination, leaving a burning car on the scorching streets of Sidon, a port city. Local sources say the target was a Hamas leader, who managed to jump out in time.
Along the coast in the city of Tyre, Israeli jets are swooping low, breaking the sound barrier – but the beach below is more crowded.
“Everything feels calm today,” said a young man in his 20s who did not want to be named.
“Everything returned to normal. The streets have been quiet, but people have come back out. Today, people can breathe.”
Hezbollah said it delayed its retaliation to give time for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza. But the latest round of talks in Egypt has ended with no apparent progress.
And while the war in Gaza drags on, in all its horror, it is fuelling instability across the Middle East.
