The United States continues to deny its involvement in the attacks in Lebanon: “The United States had no role in the attacks in Lebanon”, the United States Representative to the UN at the United Nations Security Council. John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council confirms: “Israel did not inform us of the attack in Beirut!”
The emergency session dedicated to the crisis in the Middle East on September 20 did not move one iota the attacks between Israel and Hezbollah that continued well beyond the weekend. On the one hand, China, Russia, Iran, Algeria, are strongly critical of Israel and condemn the attack on pagers, radios and walkie talkies, on the other hand, the United States, most European countries including France and Italy, have decided to support Israel.
“History has never heard of such an incident. This is a violation of international law. “Everyone now understands who committed this crime and blew up communications equipment in Lebanon,” the Representative of China to the UN told the UN Security Council. “We stand with Lebanon in this difficult moment and pay tribute to the steadfastness of the Lebanese people and the way the government is dealing with this crisis,” the Representative of Algeria to the UN told the UN Security Council. “No one in the world is safe anymore after the attacks on electronic devices, which killed innocent women and children,” the Lebanese Foreign Minister told the UN Security Council. “If this Security Council does not condemn Israel as a terrorist, does not hold it accountable and does not tell it to stop, then this Council has failed (…) It is terrorism when you target an entire population going about their daily lives, at home, shopping, in parks (…) Either stop Israel and prevent a war. Or we will go to war, this war will spare neither the East nor the West. Choose between a better future or fire,” the Lebanese Foreign Minister told the UN Security Council.
Israel responded: “We are defending our right to exist. This is an evil circus, the UN is obsessed with us. Is there no other conflict? (…) This Lebanese Foreign Minister has not mentioned Hezbollah even once. Do you all know what Hezbollah is? (…) Where was this council when Hezbollah attacked the Druze? We have thousands of displaced people in their own country for a year and they are still waiting to return home (…) We will not allow this to continue. We will restore security in the north, we will bring our citizens to safety (…) We will use every means possible. If Hezbollah does not pack its bags, every possible means will be used to remove them beyond the Litani,” the Israeli Representative to the UN told the UN Security Council. Israel has made numerous accusations against Iran, which it sees as the instigator of the current crisis.
In response, Iran, through its Representative to the United Nations, said: “This regime has crossed the red line (…) Israel has been engaged for decades in operations to destabilize the Middle East, causing conflict and instability (…) The unconditional support of the United States and the West allows Israel to behave in this way. These atrocious crimes are supported in particular by the United States and the United Kingdom (…) This is a terrorist regime led by a Prime Minister who is wanted on an arrest warrant. No one can take such a nation seriously (…) The Zionist entity (Israel) has reached a dead end and is trying to drag the region into the quagmire in which it is stuck”. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on September 24.
The Pentagon will deploy the USS Truman carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean amid the growing risk of war in Lebanon and has declared a state of alert in the Middle East for all overseas bases due to rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The armed forces of Jordan and Saudi Arabia have been on alert since September 21 to repel possible Houthi attacks on Israel.
On September 22, Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, denies Israel’s involvement in the pager and walkie-talkie explosions that occurred in Lebanon. As of September 21, Israel has closed the country’s airspace north of Hadera to all aircraft,” source Channel 14. Also on September 21, IDF spokesman Hagari: “Defense Minister signed a special order on the internal front. Tonight we will update the internal defense policy (…) From Haifa and the north, it is only possible to study and work near protected areas.” By the evening of September 21, the number of Hezbollah platforms bombed had reached 400.
Also starting September 21 on Channel 14, “Israel is preparing for an immediate escalation,” reports Yair Altman, a war correspondent.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his planned visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly meeting due to the ongoing security situation. And on September 22, the Israeli Prime Minister told the press: “If Hezbollah hasn’t understood the message, I promise you that they will.”
As of September 22, the head of the Israeli Air Force has said that the Air Force is at the highest possible level of combat readiness amid rising tensions with Hezbollah. “We continue to maintain the highest possible level of readiness of the Air Force. Especially on the defensive, but this has been going on for a long time, and on the offensive,” General Tomer Bar said during a meeting with Israeli Air Force commanders in a video released by the military.
Gideon Sa’ar turned down the post of defense minister, according to Channel 12, after weeks of rumors that Gallant would be fired and replaced by Sa’ar.
“French President Macron, in a phone call with Netanyahu, accused him of pushing the region into war, Netanyahu responded to Macron that instead of putting pressure on Israel, it’s time to increase pressure on Hezbollah,” Yedioth Ahronoth.
Hamas and the Houthis condemned the escalation of violence in Lebanon and expressed solidarity with Hezbollah. From Iran, the Chief of Staff of the Office of Iranian Leader Khamenei: “The reaction to the murder of Haniyeh will follow soon”. It seems from Iranian sources that Khamenei has ordered a direct attack on Israel. “Iranian armed forces are ready to face any threat at any level, at any time and in any place,” said Kiomars Heidari, commander of the Iranian ground forces.
A spokesman for the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq told a Reuters reporter: “Today (September 22) we have begun a new phase in support for Lebanon. The escalation in Lebanon Means Escalation in Iraq.” In an unusual move, Iraqi militias today claimed responsibility for four rocket and drone attacks against Israel.
September 20 “More than 200 rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel during the day,” Channel 12. Hezbollah has cut off all communications. Messages will be delivered by couriers. ”Hezbollah waves red flags as a symbol of revenge in southern Da’iyah and several other southern cities”, Channel 12.
The busiest night in the skies of the Middle East began on the night of September 22. It begins in Iraq and continues from the port area of Hodeidah and Iranian ports. High-precision missiles are being widely deployed. On September 23, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ordered all its members to stop using all forms of communication after thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by its allies Hezbollah in Lebanon exploded in deadly attacks last week, Reuters reports
On September 23, 150 targets were attacked in Lebanon: “All security forces must observe any suspicious movement and we must all be on alert,” said Bassam Mawlawi, Lebanon’s interior minister. He went on to say: “There is a breach and the Israeli enemy is using advanced technological techniques.” According to unconfirmed reports, Lebanese authorities are demanding that security cameras be turned off after being repeatedly hacked. Since the night of September 21, “Hezbollah forces have been moving in Lebanon,” according to Noam Amir, a war correspondent for Channel 14. At 10 a.m. on September 24, the Lebanese Information Minister’s office received an Israeli call, in which a voicemail called for the building to be evacuated.
On September 20, 12 missiles hit the American military base in Ain al-Assad. The Americans said that they were negotiating exercises. On the night of the 21st, “Explosions were heard near the border between Iraq and Syria,” according to Sabereen and Iraqi media. Recall that on the borders between Syria and Iraq there are tunnels for transporting weapons. The Syrian Ministry of Defense has suspended all permits for air defense officers and crew members until further notice, amnesty for deserters as long as they report to the enlistment office.
“Israel’s Golan Regional Council announces closure of large number of roads and intersections in Galilee”, al-Mayadeen and Lebanese media. In 45 minutes, on September 21, Israel carried out over 100 airstrikes. Explosions heard in Jbaa in Habbouch, Tefahta, Hasbaya. On the morning of the 23rd, Lebanese note an unusually heavy scale of Israeli airstrikes in the early morning in the area of Nabatiyeh and Tsur, in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah responded on the 21st by launching 90 rockets in response to 120 Israeli airstrikes. Hezbollah fired for eight hours continuously. Hit: Beria Barracks with Katyusha rockets, Safed and Katzrin, Kiryat Shmona, Ramot Naftali. A synagogue in Biriya was damaged by a Hezbollah rocket. Israeli media reports that all airspace north of Haifa has been closed. Sirens sound in northern Israel, Manara, Galilee, Alonei Habashan, southern Golan Heights. Drones detected near Mount Meron
Massive red alerts in northern Israel and central Galilee on September 22. Red alerts were reported near Haifa and following the attack. Sirens sounded for Haifa and Nazareth, the southernmost attack Hezbollah has launched since October 8. Hezbollah targeted Ramat David military airport, Israel’s largest air base, which was hit several times throughout the day. Sirens are sounding in as many as 74 cities and towns in Israel, 50 km deep, by far the largest Hezbollah attack since the start of the war. “Over 100 Hezbollah rockets fired at Israel so far,” source al-Hadath, Saudi state media.
Israeli sources say 300,000 Israelis across the country have taken shelter during Hezbollah attacks. The Home Front Command has issued new security instructions for all settlements north of Haifa, moving from a level 2 to a level 3 danger threat.
Explosions were reported in the Western Galilee, including the town of Nahariyya, on September 22, without sirens or Iron Domes being activated and related impacts Nahariya. Sirens on alert in Kiryat Haim, a northern suburb of Haifa. Sirens sounded north of Eilat on the Red Sea coast due to drone infiltration, near the land border with Jordan. The IDF conducted a special operation in the old city of Nablus; an Israeli air strike north of Gaza involved 13 people, including 3 children and 3 women.
Israeli intercepts rockets from Lebanon over Nazareth; shells hit Tamra. Acre was also hit and industrial areas located in the city are under rocket fire.
“More than 800 airstrikes in Lebanon since this morning,” Channel 14 war correspondent Yair Altman reported on September 24. In the afternoon, an IDF statement from military leaders, the Chief of Staff, and the commander of the Israeli Air Force was released: “The IDF has struck approximately 800 terrorist targets belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah. Since this morning (Monday), the IDF has conducted extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon. So far, the IAF has conducted strikes based on precise intelligence on approximately 800 Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon and in the Beqaa area deep inside Lebanese territory. Among the targets struck were buildings in which Hezbollah hid rockets, missiles, launchers, UAVs, and other terrorist infrastructure.
The IDF is striking to remove threats to Israeli civilians and degrade Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure and capabilities.”
September 23 was a hectic day: in the morning, the UNIFIL leadership ordered all civilian personnel and their families to evacuate to safe areas north of the Litani River, according to Al-Akhbar, a Lebanese news outlet. UNIFIL later said that “any further escalation of this dangerous situation could have far-reaching and devastating consequences for the entire region. We reiterate our call for a diplomatic solution and urge all parties to prioritize the lives of civilians.”
In the morning, residents of the Aisha Bakkar and Al-Malla areas, near the Islamic Group’s headquarters in Beirut, received messages and calls from Israel telling them to evacuate their homes. Pro-Hamas accounts reported that Yahya Sinwar warned Israel that Hamas has 10,000 “suicide” fighters in the occupied Palestinian territory, i.e. in Israel: “We affirm our solidarity, our ssupport and an unbreakable bond of brotherhood with the brothers in Hezbollah and the Lebanese people,” a statement said.
Hezbollah issued four statements simultaneously on the afternoon of September 23, “in support of Palestine and in defense of the Lebanese people: 1. Launching dozens of missiles at the Ein Zeitim base, the headquarters of the IDF Northern Command. 2. Launching dozens of missiles at the Rafael Military Industrial Complex in the Zovulon area north of Haifa. 3. Launching dozens of missiles at the Israeli Air Force’s Ramat David air base. 4. Launching dozens of missiles at warehouses located at the IDF Northern Command’s Nimra base, for the second time.”
On the afternoon of September 23, local social media reports mass evacuations across southern Lebanon; while in Israel, all Israeli schools north of Haifa will be closed on September 24.
The death toll recorded by the Lebanese Ministry of Health is at least 275 dead, with 1024 injured, many in critical condition; while Israeli media reports several injured in Galilee.
Reports of impacts south of Haifa, after a bombing by Hezbollah who claims to have targeted the main IDF warehouses for the Northern Command at the “Nimra” base near Haifa, with dozens of rockets; red alerts between Nablus and Tel Aviv, Hezbollah has expanded the range of its attacks to 120 km.
Israel has closed its airspace from “Hadera” to the border with Lebanon until the end of September.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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