The world can be a miserable place and the misery doesn’t get more evident than in the Middle East right about now.
Hezbollah launched over 100 rockets into northern Israel early Sunday, with some landing near Haifa, as Israel responded with hundreds of strikes on Lebanon. A Hezbollah leader declared that an “open-ended battle” had begun, signaling that both sides were edging closer to full-scale war.
Get this, the rocket barrage came in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which had killed dozens, including a senior Hezbollah commander, Ibrahim Akil, and targeted the group’s communications equipment. The attacks sent air raid sirens blaring across northern Israel, forcing hundreds of thousands into shelters.
One particular rocket hit near a residential area in Kiryat Bialik, near Haifa, injuring at least three people and igniting buildings and vehicles. Avi Vazana, a local resident, described rushing out to help after hearing the explosion. “I ran without shoes, without a shirt, only with pants… everything was still on fire,” he recounted.
What’s more, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that Israeli strikes near the border killed three people and wounded four, though it did not clarify whether they were civilians or fighters.
The deadly escalation follows an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday that killed at least 45 people, including Akil, several Hezbollah fighters, and civilians, including women and children. Hezbollah, already reeling from a recent attack on its communications network, faces a delicate challenge in retaliating while trying to avoid a wider war that could devastate Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Kassem, starkly warned that Sunday’s rocket attack was just the beginning of an “open-ended battle” with Israel. Speaking at Akil’s funeral, he vowed continued operations and hinted at “unexpected attacks” deeper inside Israel. Late Sunday, Hezbollah announced further strikes on military sites in northern Israel, though the extent of damage and casualties was unclear.
In a typical belligerent response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “No country can accept the wanton rocketing of its cities. We can’t accept it either,” vowing to take necessary action to restore security in the north.
Sadly, funerals were also held Sunday for victims of Israeli airstrikes, including women and children. Christian Lebanese lawmaker Melhem Khalaf condemned Israel, accusing it of relying on “the laws of the jungle” rather than international conventions to protect civilians.
U.S. officials are working to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a full-scale war. White House national security spokesman John Kirby emphasized ongoing diplomatic efforts, stating, “We want to make sure that we can continue to do everything we can to try to prevent this from becoming an all-out war there with Hezbollah across that Lebanese border.”
Another day, more carnage. That’s how it goes unfortunately.
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