Fresh clashes erupted on October 17 along the border between Lebanon and Israel, as confrontations persisted between Hezbollah members and the Israeli military. Israel’s Armed Forces issued a statement indicating that anti-tank projectiles were fired from Lebanon into the Israeli border town of Metula. While the armed forces noted there were no fatalities, it’s worth mentioning that three individuals sustained severe injuries in the incident.
Up to this point, no entity within Lebanon has officially claimed responsibility for this assault. Nevertheless, various reports suggest that Hezbollah, a terrorist group with ties to Iran, might be linked to it. Hezbollah has consistently supported the Palestinian terrorist organization, Hamas, and has previously stated its goal of eliminating Israel. The group has been active in Lebanon in recent years, following electoral successes in the country.
Certain news sources indicated that there was uncertainty regarding whether the individuals injured in this assault were military personnel or civilians. Notably, Israeli authorities had issued an evacuation order for civilians in this area one day prior to the missile attack. A few hours subsequent to the strike on Metula, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) successfully thwarted four individuals who were in possession of explosive vests at the Lebanon-Israel border.
Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been engaged in conflicts near the border for the past few years. Israel has been successful in preventing most offensive and terrorist activities by this group within its territory. However, concerns persist that Hezbollah could potentially collaborate with Hamas in their hostilities against the Jewish state.
Experts in the field of politics, like Ian Bremmer, hold the view that this potential scenario could ignite a significant Middle Eastern conflict, necessitating the involvement of other nations, thus heightening the risk of a third global conflict.
On October 15, the IDF released a statement confirming that nine rockets were launched from Lebanon into Israel. Fortunately, the nation’s air defense systems successfully intercepted five of these rockets. The IDF also announced that, in response to this attack, the Jewish state would take action to eliminate the launch site.
