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September 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said Tuesday that the Shiite militia-party Hezbollah “must not be given a break” and announced that Israeli forces would “accelerate offensive operations” against Lebanon, following a wave of bombings since Monday that has left more than 550 dead and more than 1,800 wounded.
“Hezbollah must not be given any respite. We must continue to work hard,” he said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the Israeli military. “We will accelerate offensive operations today and strengthen all capabilities. The situation requires continued intensive action on all fronts,” he concluded.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a “second wave of attacks” against Hezbollah “terrorist targets” on Tuesday, while one of its spokesmen issued a new “urgent announcement” to the Lebanese population demanding that they evacuate areas located “near or inside Hezbollah buildings or those used to store weapons.”
Hezbollah has responded to these attacks by firing dozens of rockets at Israeli military positions and a “munitions factory.” The army has estimated that around 100 rockets have been fired from southern Lebanon in the past few hours, with no reports of casualties or material damage so far.
The escalation of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah – a group supported by Iran that has significant military and political clout in Lebanon – has raised fears of the possibility of an expansion of the conflict in the Middle East. In this context, the Israeli army presented its “operational plans” regarding Lebanon to the United States last week.
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