Israel Now Faces Two Battle Fronts, Gallant: Hezbollah Joins the War, 10 Times Stronger than Hamas
TRIBUNNEWS.COM – Israel’s military focus ahead of a major ground attack on Gaza has reportedly been disrupted by the presence of a new battle front from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, implied that his military had also declared war on the Hezbollah militia following the troop’s increasing attacks on the Israel Defense Force (IDF).
“Hezbollah paid a “heavy price” for its attack on Israel,” Yoav Gallant told troops stationed near the Lebanese border on Saturday (21/10/2023).
Also read: Hezbollah Attacks from Lebanon, Israel Begins to Evacuate Settlements on the Northern Border
The Hezbollah resistance group is known to have increased its rocket and missile attacks in recent days on Israel, killing an IDF soldier on Friday (20/10/2023).
“Hezbollah has decided to participate in the fighting, (and) we will have to bear the heavy consequences of that action,” Gallant told Israeli troops at the Biranit camp on the Lebanese border, in statements carried by several Israeli media outlets.
“I assume that the challenge will be greater [dibandingkan sekarang]and you should take this into account, so that it is ready like a spring [melingkar] for any situation,” he added.
Israeli troops and Hezbollah have been involved in exchanges of rocket and artillery fire since the conflict with Hamas broke out two weeks ago.
The escalation of the conflict with Hamas fighters has resulted in Israeli Merkava tanks moving into positions in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. Sunday (15/10/2023). (Jalaa MAREY/AFP) (AFP/JALAA MAREY)Ten Times Stronger than Hamas
Although the Lebanese paramilitary group has sent drones and a number of intruders across the country’s borders, no large-scale attacks have occurred.
Israel has so far avoided opening a second front in the north, but Gallant suggests that fighting on the second front is imminent.
This indication became stronger after Hezbollah increased the frequency and severity of its attacks over the past week.
On Friday alone, Hezbollah launched between 20 and 30 rockets at military facilities in the Mount Dov area and two rockets at the city of Metula, according to the IDF.
Hezbollah fighters also targeted several IDF observation posts with anti-tank missiles and small arms fire.
An Israeli-American soldier was killed and three other Israeli soldiers were wounded in a missile attack near the border, while the Hezbollah armed group wounded an Israeli soldier in a separate attack, the IDF said.
An Israeli Merkava tank rolls down a street on the outskirts of the northern city of Kiryat Shmona near the border with Lebanon on October 8, 2023. Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel say they exchanged cross-border fire on October 8, as Israel engaged Hamas fighters, on its southern flank a day after Palestinian fighters invaded Gaza border. (JALAA MAREY / AFP) (AFP/JALAA MAREY)
2023-10-21 16:20:11
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