Israel’s assassination of a top Hezbollah field commander on June 11 has raised, once again, concerns over a wider Israeli war in Lebanon after months of clashes.Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Lebanese movement, fired over 200 missiles into Israel in retaliation and has vowed to intensify its attacks following the killing of Taleb Sami Abdallah, reports Middle East Eye.
These developments are just the latest in escalating hostilities, which have seen increasingly ferocious and sophisticated Hezbollah attacks on Israel.The change in the scope of Hezbollah’s attacks when compared to the early weeks of the conflict has caught many observers’ eyes.
Following the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel and subsequent war on Gaza, Hezbollah began skirmishes along Lebanon’s southern border in solidarity with the Palestinian enclave and to relieve pressure on Hamas.
Since then, the Lebanese movement has proven itself capable of downing several advanced Hermes 900 drones, firing anti-aircraft missiles against Israeli jets, which it claims forced them to retreat, and even carrying out a symbolic strike against an Iron Dome air defence unit.
“Hezbollah is becoming more audacious, and I think the Israelis are surprised by this,” said Amal Saad, a Hezbollah expert and lecturer in politics at Cardiff University…
This escalation, experts say, is likely linked to the political deadlock over Gaza ceasefire negotiations.