Who Is Hezbollah and Why Is Israel Even Targeting Them?
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said Israel’s war is entering a “new phase”, and the military is diverting resources to the north where the war’s “center of gravity” has shifted.
What is going on in Lebanon and why is Israel even targeting them?
Wireless electronic devices have been exploding at the same time across Lebanon for two consecutive days.
The pagers explosions were the result of a joint operation between Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad, and the Israeli military, according to CNN.
Israel was reportedly targeting Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and militant group, which controls significant portions of the country, particularly in the south, near the Israeli border.
Hezbollah was founded in 1982 in response to Israel invading Lebanon that year.
After its invasion, which was initially aimed at countering Palestinian attacks from Lebanese territory, Israel began occupying southern Lebanon in 1985.
Hezbollah then became the main armed group resisting the Israeli occupation, engaging in a sustained military campaign that contributed to Israel withdrawing from Southern Lebanon in 2000.
Since then, Hezbollah, which is funded by Iran, has grown into Lebanon’s most effective political party, being described as a "state within a state"
Although the group does not rule Lebanon, it has de facto control over some areas like southern Lebanon, and experts say it is considered one of the "strongest non-state armed forces around the world".
Since Israel declared war on Hamas on Oct. 7, the group has been engaging in almost daily exchanges of fire with Israel along its border to support Palestine and back Hamas.
The clashes have killed hundreds of people in Lebanon and dozens in Israel, as well as forced tens of thousands of people on both sides to leave their homes.
The same day of the pager explosion, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel was expanding its official goals for its war on Gaza.
Netanyahu said that Israel now also seeks to allow Israelis who have fled areas near the Lebanese border to return to their homes.
A few hours after Israel’s statement, hundreds of pagers in Lebanon detonated at the same time, injuring at least 2,800 people and killing 12 others, including two children.
The next day, walkie talkies also exploded simultaneously across Lebanon, killing another 20 and injuring at least 450 others.
While Israel hasn’t claimed responsibility for the attacks, experts have said they must have been calculated.
Hours after the second day of explosions, Israeli officials issued statements which appeared to suggest a full-on war with Hezbollah was brewing, according to the Times of Israel.
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said Israel’s war is entering a “new phase”, and the military is diverting resources to the north where the war’s “center of gravity” has shifted.
Hezbollah vowed to retaliate and said it launched rockets on Israeli artillery, however, Israel said there was no damage or casualties.
Cherry Mohamed
Kassy Cho
Cherry Mohamed
