Israel allegedly claimed to have prevented an assassination attempt led by Iran on Thursday by bombing southern Lebanon, according to a report from Reuters. This came after a string of explosions involving radios belonging to Hezbollah, which increased hostilities and brought the two enemies closer to direct confrontation. The coordinated assaults on Hezbollah’s communications infrastructure, which left almost 3,000 people injured and 37 dead, sparked widespread fear throughout Lebanon.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
As a result, many residents abandoned their mobile phones, fearing further attacks.
“This is not a small issue; it’s war. Who can even feel safe using a phone now?” said Mustafa Sibal, a resident near central Beirut, who had discarded his phone after learning of the incidents.
In Beirut, the sound of Israeli fighter jets breaking the sound barrier filled the air, a noise that has become increasingly familiar.
Israeli warplanes targeted villages in southern Lebanon overnight, with airstrikes continuing near the border on Thursday afternoon, according to Lebanese state media and Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV.
On Wednesday, hand-held radios used by Hezbollah exploded across southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese health minister confirming 25 fatalities and 608 injuries in what became the country’s most lethal day since cross-border hostilities resumed.
The explosions follow Tuesday’s booby-trapped pager blasts that killed 12 people, including two children, and injured over 2,300.
In response, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the United Nations Security Council to take decisive action to halt what he termed Israel’s “aggression” and “technological warfare.”
Though Israel has not officially commented on the explosive walkie-talkies and pagers, security sources attributed the attacks to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.
Israel views its fight with Hezbollah as part of a larger regional confrontation with Iran, which backs Hezbollah as well as militant groups in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
On Thursday, Israeli authorities announced the arrest of an Israeli businessman last month.
The businessman had allegedly held meetings in Iran, where he discussed plans to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the defense minister, or the Shin Bet chief.
Meanwhile, last week, Israeli security agency Shin Bet uncovered an alleged Hezbollah plot to assassinate former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.
Israel has long been accused of carrying out assassinations, including recent attacks that killed both a Hamas leader in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut within hours of each other in July.
For weeks, Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire along the Israel-Lebanon border in parallel with Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza against Hamas.
The cross-border violence has displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to ensure the safe return of evacuated Israelis to their homes.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
