JERUSALEM. The Israeli government expressed cautious relief on Monday after successfully countering a missile attack from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, with pre-emptive strikes in southern Lebanon. The attack, which was anticipated as retaliation for the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut last month, was largely mitigated by Israel’s military actions.
Despite the immediate threat being neutralized, Israeli officials, including government spokesperson David Mencer, stressed that the situation remains volatile. “Hezbollah has suffered a crushing blow from the Israeli strikes, but the current situation is not sustainable,” Mencer stated in a briefing. He highlighted the ongoing displacement of tens of thousands of residents in northern Israel, a crisis mirrored in southern Lebanon. “Israel will do its duty and return its population to our sovereign territory,” Mencer added, emphasizing the need for a long-term resolution.
The escalation has further delayed hopes that children could return to school in September, as financial aid for evacuees has been extended until September 30. However, some optimism persists that the exchange of fire, which caused less damage than feared, could facilitate negotiations aimed at de-escalating the broader conflict in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli and foreign hostages.
Notably, Avi Issacharoff, a prominent commentator in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth, suggested that Israel’s success in foiling Hezbollah’s retaliation might influence Hamas’s stance in ongoing negotiations. “Maybe – just maybe – Israel’s success might pave the way to concessions by Hamas in the negotiations over a hostage deal,” Issacharoff wrote.
The pre-dawn hours of Sunday saw approximately 100 Israeli jets targeting Hezbollah’s launch sites in southern Lebanon, reportedly destroying thousands of rockets poised to strike Israel. Although Hezbollah managed to launch hundreds of missiles, most were intercepted or landed in unpopulated areas, resulting in minimal damage.
While exchanges of fire continued into Monday, they were significantly less intense. Israel confirmed striking a Hezbollah military structure in southern Lebanon and intercepting several suspicious aerial targets entering from Lebanon, with no reported injuries.
While denying that its Sunday response was subdued, Hezbollah claimed that its operation was completed successfully, leading to cautious hope that the incident might be contained for the time being. Meanwhile, Iran, which has vowed revenge for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, stated that it was not seeking to escalate regional tensions further.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
