In one of the deadliest attacks in two weeks, Hezbollah targeted a military base in central Israel with drones on Sunday evening, killing 4 soldiers and injuring others.
Meanwhile, the US announced it would send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to Israel, along with troops to operate it, in order to bolster Israel’s air defenses against any possible Iranian attack, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Hezbollah’s Drone Attack
The Israeli military announced that a drone attack on Sunday, which targeted a military base near Binyamina city, killed four soldiers and severely injured seven others. It is the deadliest attack for Hezbollah since Israel launched its ground offensive in Lebanon two weeks ago.
Hezbollah said the attack was a retaliation for the Israeli strikes on Beirut that killed 22 people on Thursday. Later, the Lebanese group claimed it launched squadrons of drones to target Israel’s Golani Brigade, while keeping Israeli air defenses busy by dozens of missiles.
The attack wounded 61 people, according to Israel’s rescue service. This high number of casualties by drone or missiles is rare in Israel, owing to its advanced air defense systems.
THAAD System in Israel
Hezbollah drone attack came after the US had announced it would support Israel with a THAAD defense battery and about 100 American troops to strengthen Israeli air defenses. In a statement, the Pentagon spokesperson, Pat Ryder, said that the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, authorized the deployment of the THAAD battery to Israel at the direction of the US President, Joe Biden.
This move deepens the US involvement in the region amid the ongoing escalation. The US sent a similar defense system to the Middle East last year following the October 7 attack on Israel, to bolster protections of US forces in the region. The Pentagon also said it had sent a THAAD system to Israel for training in 2019.
Moreover, the presence of American troops in Israel is not unusual. The US has generally kept a small number of forces there, in addition to routine rotational deployments for training and exercises.
Iranian Warning
The Pentagon announcement came hours after Iran’s warning to the US to keep its military forces out of Israel. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, warned in a post on X that the US was putting its troops lives “at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel.”
He added: “While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests.”
It is widely expected that Israel is preparing a military attack on Iran, in response to Tehran’s attack on Israel on October 1, 2024, which involved around 200 ballistic missiles. The attack hit military bases and other facilities in Israel, with the latter vowing revenge against Iran. In response, Tehran warned that any Israeli attack would be met with “stronger retaliation.”
Targeting UN Peacekeepers
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Sunday that two Israeli tanks forcibly entered one of its posts in southern Lebanon, firing smoke near the peacekeeping personnel there. As a result, 15 peacekeepers suffered skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions.
The UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, denounced Israeli attacks on the peacekeeping mission, which injured several personnel. “The secretary general reiterates that UNIFIL personnel and its premises must never be targeted. Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law, including international humanitarian law. They may constitute a war crime,” Dujarric said.
Israel is facing growing international criticism for repeatedly firing at UN peacekeepers since the beginning of its ground incursion into Lebanon. Israel asked the UNIFIL to move its personnel further north, but the peacekeeping mission refused. Several peacekeepers were injured over the past week due to the repeated Israeli attacks.
In a video statement addressed to the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, repeated calls for the UNIFIL to evacuate the area. “The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones,” he said, adding that the peacekeeping mission’s refusal is providing Hezbollah with “human shields.”
Violence Escalation
Israel is now fighting at two fronts, with Hamas in Gaza and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Tensions have been on the rise with Hezbollah in recent weeks, with Israel launching waves of heavy airstrikes in Lebanon and starting a ground invasion in the country’s south.
Meanwhile, Israel’s war in Gaza has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, destroying large areas of the enclave and displacing 90% of its 2.3 million population.
On Sunday night, an Israeli strike hit a school in Nuseirat, killing at least 20 people including children. Furthermore, 3 people were killed and around 50 others were injured in explosions outside Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah early Monday.
Saudi Aid to Lebanon
Responding to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia has launched a relief air bridge to provide critical assistance to the Lebanese people amid the ongoing Israeli attacks.
The first cargo plane departed on Sunday from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and arrived at Beirut International Airport, carrying over 40 tons of food and medical aid.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s leadership issued directives to provide medical and relief aid to the Lebanese people to alleviate their suffering during these critical circumstances. The Kingdom remains committed to achieving peace and stability in the region, hence it has reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and is working with international partners to de-escalate tensions in the region.
