On Thursday evening, the security cabinet gathered in Tel Aviv as Israel remained on high alert for a potential assault from Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist group.
According to Hebrew media reports, the cabinet held its meeting in the underground command center at the Kirya military headquarters. This was the first time such a gathering took place in that location since the night of April 13-14, when Iran fired around 300 missiles and drones at Israel, nearly all of which were intercepted.
Although the meeting was held in the underground command center, commonly referred to as “the pit,” it was not prompted by any immediate security threat. Instead, Channel 12 news reported that it was part of a drill in preparation for a possible emergency situation, as Israel braces for a retaliatory attack from Iran and its terror allies following several recent high-profile assassinations.
Channel 13 noted that Israeli intelligence on Thursday suggested Hezbollah might attempt to assassinate a senior Israeli figure in response to the killing of their commander, Fuad Shukr, on July 30. This assassination followed a Hezbollah rocket attack that resulted in the deaths of twelve children in the Golan Heights a few days earlier.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a rare statement to the Lebanese public, warning in Arabic that Israel would respond forcefully if Hezbollah continued to escalate tensions.
“The State of Israel wants peace, prosperity and stability on both sides of the northern border and therefore will in no way allow the Hezbollah militia to destabilize the border and the region. If Hezbollah continues its aggression, Israel will fight it with all its might,” Gallant wrote.
He also referenced Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s regret over the events of August 2006, during the Second Lebanon War—a 34-day conflict triggered by Hezbollah’s capture of two Israeli soldiers and the killing of others.
“Remember [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah’s regret for the dangerous and uncalculated adventure of August 2006,” Gallant said. “Those who play with fire should expect destruction.”
On Thursday, Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav also mentioned the Second Lebanon War, telling public broadcaster Kan that Hezbollah’s missile capabilities have advanced significantly since then: “They are very precise missiles, and they are expected to fire 4,000 missiles at us each day,” Yahav said.
“That’s what we’re preparing [our citizens] for. In any case, we’re asking them to prepare enough food, enough water, because we’re expecting they’ll have to stay there [in shelters and safe areas] for four to six days” if Hezbollah attacks, he added.
During a briefing at the IDF Home Front Command, Gallant assured that Israel was working to provide timely warnings of any anticipated attacks but advised the public to maintain their daily routines unless otherwise instructed.
“The public’s resilience allows us to make the right operational decisions. In the face of the enemy’s attempt to sow fear, we must continue with normal daily life,” he stated, according to his office.
Israel has been on high alert since its military assassinated Shukr last week, just hours before Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was also killed in an explosion in Tehran, an attack for which Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
Iran, a supporter of both Hezbollah and Hamas, has vowed to retaliate for these assassinations.
On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States warned Iran that its government and economy could face severe consequences if it launched a major attack against Israel. This message was communicated directly to Tehran and through intermediaries.
“The United States has sent clear messaging to Iran that the risk of a major escalation if they do a significant retaliatory attack against Israel is extremely high,” an unnamed US official said in the report.
Tehran was cautioned “that there is a serious risk of consequences for Iran’s economy and the stability of its newly elected government if it goes down that path,” the official added.
The report clarified that the warning was not intended to suggest that the US would directly attack Iran, but rather to inform Tehran of the risks of provoking a military response from Israel.
Despite hesitations within the Iranian government regarding a potential attack, CNN reported on Wednesday that Israeli officials believe Hezbollah may act independently to strike Israel in the coming days, separate from any direct Iranian involvement.
Israel has communicated to both Hezbollah and Iran that any harm to Israeli civilians would cross a red line, triggering a disproportionate response, according to Channel 12.
The same news outlet reported Thursday that Israel’s defense forces are prepared not only to counter rockets and missiles but also to thwart any attempts at cross-border incursions by land or sea.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center left) meets with United States CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael Kurilla (center right) in Tel Aviv on August 5, 2024 (IDF)
Hezbollah has been launching almost daily attacks on Israeli communities and military positions along the border since October 8 of last year, one day after Hamas’s attack on southern Israel. In that assault, approximately 3,000 terrorists infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip, breaching the border fence, killing around 1,200 people, and taking 251 hostages, igniting the ongoing conflict.
Channel 12 also reported on Thursday that Israel’s defense apparatus is prepared to take “highly significant action” in response to any attack, “not only in Lebanon.”
With tensions running high, the United States has bolstered its military presence in the region, deploying additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the Middle East to counter threats from Iran and its proxies, alongside a vigorous diplomatic effort to defuse the situation.
On Thursday, the United States Central Command announced the arrival of US Air Force F-22 fighter jets in its area of responsibility, “as part of US force posture changes in the region and to address threats posed by Iran and Iranian-backed groups.”
CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael Kurilla visited Israel for the second time in less than a week on Thursday, according to multiple sources.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the IDF reported Thursday that its fighter jets had struck and destroyed several Hezbollah “terror infrastructure” sites in southern Lebanon overnight, releasing footage of the strikes.
Israeli fighter jets and drones also conducted multiple strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, targeting a group of operatives, a rocket launcher, Hezbollah-used buildings, and other infrastructure in Kafr Kila, Yarine, Rachaf, at-Tiri, and Houla, according to the military.
Hezbollah acknowledged the death of one of its members in an Israeli strike, raising the group’s death toll since October 8 to 401. In Lebanon, an additional 70 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have been killed.
On Thursday, Hezbollah fired several rocket barrages from Lebanon into Israel, with about 15 rockets landing in open fields near Kibbutz Kabri in the Western Galilee. No injuries were reported.
Shortly after, Hezbollah launched another eight rockets from Lebanon, targeting the same region. The rockets again landed in open areas near the northern community of Shlomi, according to the IDF.
Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have been attacking Israeli communities and military posts along the border almost daily, claiming their actions are in support of Gaza amid the ongoing war.
These clashes have so far resulted in 25 civilian deaths in Israel, along with the deaths of 18 IDF soldiers and reservists. Additionally, there have been several attacks from Syria, though no injuries were reported.
{Matzav.com}