Egypt Daily News – Today’s exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah has raised significant concerns about escalating tensions in the region.
Following a preemptive strike by Israel targeting Hezbollah positions, and subsequent retaliatory attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel and the Golan Heights, diplomatic channels have been activated to prevent further escalation.
According to two unnamed diplomats, messages were exchanged between Israel and Hezbollah through mediators, indicating that both parties sought to avoid an all-out war.
They noted that the intense bombardment that occurred on Sunday was considered concluded, with neither side wanting to escalate the conflict further.
This dialogue comes in the wake of a particularly violent episode, described as one of the largest exchanges of fire seen between the two adversaries in ten months.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, reportedly aimed to respond to the assassination of its military commander, Fouad Shukr, without triggering a broader conflict.
A Hezbollah official indicated that their response was strategically delayed due to ongoing truce talks in Gaza, highlighting the complex interplay of regional politics at play.
Israel, for its part, has claimed that it successfully preempted a significant attack by Hezbollah, asserting that it took out hundreds of rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli government has made it clear that it will target any areas in Lebanon that threaten Israeli citizens.
Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, expressed that the assassination of Shukr constituted a crossing of “red lines” and held Israel responsible for the renewed escalation.
However, Nasrallah asserted that their delay in retaliation was a calculated decision, while also indicating that their response to the assassination had now concluded.
The recent events have heightened international concerns about a possible expansion of the conflict, especially given the backdrop of ongoing tensions involving Iran and its affiliates in the region.
The assassinations of key figures like Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and the aforementioned Hezbollah commander add further complexity to an already volatile situation.
