TEL AVIV, BM, ($1= 3.23 Israeli Shekels) – Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon are under pressure after Hamas (Gaza) and Hezbollah (Lebanon) launched a series of attacks on Israeli territory in the last twelve hours, and Tel Aviv was forced to respond.
On August 4, Hezbollah fired several rockets from Lebanese territory at the behest of Israel, triggering Israeli airstrikes early the next day in eastern Lebanon. The next day, Friday, Hezbollah continued shelling northern Israel with 122mm artillery shells, to which Tel Aviv responded.
During the artillery shelling between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, there were also political statements on the axis of tension. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Ganz reaffirmed the position of his people that Israel will respond to any attack on the people and the territorial integrity of the country. Hezbollah Deputy Chief Naim Kasem said Hezbollah would respond to any attack.
Later that day, Hamas launched a return from attacks on the Jewish state by releasing several arson balloons, a common practice of the radical Palestinian movement. Tel Aviv responded early Saturday morning, August 7, with airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force. According to an official statement from the Israelis, the air force has hit a Hamas camp and a missile-firing position. Palestinians say on social media that they have heard machine guns from Hamas, most likely on Israeli fighter jets flying over.
Hamas sources say the balloons fired by them were explosive and incendiary. “We will not be humiliated,” the group said in a brief statement on Friday.
The ‘rocket war’ in 2021
In May, Israel and Gaza have exchanged continuous and intense missile attacks. Israel resorted to using its air force and was very close to sending ground troops and heavy armored vehicles and tanks to Gaza. Still, international pressure on Tel Aviv halted this Netanyahu’s decision.
Gaza has tested Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system by subjecting almost all cities in the country to rocket fire. Pro-palestinians units fired three missiles from Syria; several artillery shells were fired from Lebanon. Hamas uses rockets of its production – Qassam. As we wrote earlier, this decision by the Palestinians is strange, as they have much more technologically advanced missiles and more destructive power.
Israel, for its part, defended itself with the Iron Dome air defense system, which intercepted more than 90% of the missiles fired across the country. Tel Aviv carried out several air raids, one of which was impressive – 150 planes, 165 targets, and more than 1,000 bombs in a few hours. Israel has destroyed much of Hamas’ underground tunnels in Gaza, known as the Hamas subway.
Israel says the IDF has killed 120 members of Hamas and more than 20 members of Islamic Jihad. A total of 232 Palestinians were killed, 65 of them minors. However, it is not clear whether this number includes the killed 120 members of Hamas.
What is happening in the area?
The violence began after the focus fell on controversial judicial and political actions over the Palestinian-populated Sheikh Jara district of East Jerusalem. An Israeli court initially ruled that Palestinians should be evicted from the neighborhood and be populated with Israelis. A hearing on the eviction followed, but it never ended last Sunday and was postponed.
On Monday, May 10, Jerusalem was subjected to a brief rocket attack by al-Quds and Hamas with a request on the eviction decision. Israel did not comply with the Palestinians, which led to a retaliatory strike and a rocket fire between the two countries for the second day in a row.
According to a field source, Israel has involved fighter jets and tanks in the conflict, which are hitting 130 targets in the Gaza Strip. These goals are related to the Hamas movement. According to the Israeli authorities, these goals are also associated with terrorist organizations.
The international community welcomes the actions of Israelis and Palestinians, but as statements from both sides make clear, both sides may reach no agreement soon.
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