Hezbollah strikes ongoing as Hochstein visits yielding Israeli threats

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
5 Mar 2024 00:34
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The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon strikes an Israeli settlement near "Nahariya" with large-scale rocket barrage in response to Israeli killing of civilians, leading to wide power outage.

A Hezbollah rocket strikes an Israeli communications tower in al-Raheb, occupied Palestine, March 2, 2024 (Military Media)

Hezbollah operations in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza continued on Monday, with the Israeli brutal war on the Strip supported by the United States crossing its 5-month mark.

In separate statements, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announced conducting a number of attacks on different Israeli military bases and outposts in support of Gaza "and their honorable Resistance."

During the early hours of Monday, Hezbollah revealed foiling two Israeli attempts to cross into Lebanese territory, one of which was carried out by a unit from the occupation's elite Golani Brigade. The Resistance confirmed that both groups were targeted using rockets and artillery shells, while the Golani force was also hit with an IED.

Starting from the latest operation, Hezbollah announced launching a large-scale barrage of rockets at 9:50 pm toward the Israeli "Gesher HaZiv" settlement near the coastal city of "Nahariya" in northern occupied Palestine.

The Resistance said in a statement that the operation came in response to the Israeli aggressions on southern villages and civilians, the last of which was on a civil defense medical facility in Odeissah, which resulted in the martyrdom of three paramedics.

Following the strike, Israeli media reported a wide power outage in "Nahariya" without providing further details.

At 1:30 am, the "Zarit" barracks and its surroundings were targeted with artillery strike, the Resistance said, also announcing a rocket attack on espionage hardware in the Rouissat al-Alam base in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Chouba Hills at 3:20 pm.

The Summaqa and Ramtha bases also in occupied Kfar Chouba Hills were targeted in two separate operations at around 4:10 pm, Hezbollah announced, revealing that the operation was conducted using rocket weaponry.

A number of Israeli military vehicles near the al-Baghdadi base were struck at 10:20 pm using "appropriate" weapons, the Resistance said, confirming that the targets were successfully hit.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military used phosphorus bombs to target civilian areas in the Lebanese southern villages of Markaba and Houla.

The occupation also attacked using air strikes and artillery several Lebanese villages and towns throughout Monday, including Aita al-Shaab, Shihin, Kfar Chouba, Kfar Hamam, Alma al-Shaab, and Odeissah.

Amos voices Israeli threats against unwavering Hezbollah

The military confrontations across the Lebanese-Palestinian border coincided with US envoy Amos Hochstein, who landed earlier Monday in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

According to Hochstein, this visit comes as part of efforts to de-escalate the border situation.

The United States had repeatedly announced its support for "Israel" in its war on Gaza while opposing a comprehensive ceasefire in favor of a brief truce in return for a prisoner-captive exchange deal. This saw Washington shooting down three UNSC draft resolutions calling for an immediate end to the war on Gaza.

Hezbollah on the other hand has confirmed since day one that the Resistance's operations would only halt if Israelis stopped their aggression on the Strip, tying the efforts to supporting the people of Gaza and their Resistance in confronting the Israeli occupation's genocidal war. The operations led to over 200,000 Israelis fleeing from northern settlements, leading to a major societal dilemma in "Israel," coupled with significant economic disruption.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also mentioned in several speeches that the Resistance has been under ongoing US-led Western pressure to stop attacks on "Israel," but announced that this option is off the table and that no discussions would be held regarding any issue related to Lebanon as long as the war on Gaza continues.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah's chief warned that if the occupation wages war on Lebanon, the Resistance will not only defend the country, it would also go "all the way, with no red lines or restraints."

However, Hochstein, in a concealed threatening tone, said that "any truce in Gaza will not necessarily extend automatically to Lebanon."

The senior US envoy was echoing a previous statement made by Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, who said: "In the event of a temporary truce in Gaza, we will increase the fire in the north and will continue until the full withdrawal of Hezbollah [from the border],” Gallant said.

But it seems that one thing is agreed upon, any military escalations would most likely be uncontainable.

"There is no such thing as a limited war,” Hochstein said. "The diplomatic solution is the only way out.”

A war between Hezbollah and Israelis "will not help the Lebanese or the Israelis return to their homes," Hochstein continued.