Concerns about war escalation… Netanyahu: If Hezbollah goes to war, we will turn it into Gaza
Egypt warns that migration of Gaza residents ‘violates international law’… Pressure to collapse relations with Israel
An Israeli civilian has reportedly been killed in an attack by the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah. Concerns are growing that the conflict could expand beyond the Gaza Strip and into the surrounding area.
According to the Times of Israel (TOI), on the 7th (local time), Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile on the border with Lebanon in northern Israel, killing an Israeli civilian. The deceased was Eyar Uzan, a 60-year-old man, who was killed in farmland near Moshav Matat.
The Lebanese border is where Israel and Hezbollah have continued to engage in intermittent clashes since Hamas’ Al-Aqsa flood raid on October 7. Israel had already issued an evacuation order to residents of border villages in the early stages of the war in preparation for the spread of conflict with Lebanon.
In response to the incident, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly mobilized helicopters, tanks, and firearms to track down and strike the launch site. In addition, the IDF explains that a number of projectiles were fired from Lebanon to northern Israel, hitting the source.
On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah, “If they decide on an all-out war, we will turn southern Lebanon and Beirut into the Gaza Strip and Khan Younis,” and added, “We are ready to defend against any threat.”
Hezbollah is considered the largest group among the so-called ‘Axis of Resistance’ armed forces supported by Iran, a Shia suzerain state. After the start of the war, he mentioned ‘martyrdom’ to Hamas and ordered them to continue attacking Israel.
In addition to the border with Lebanon, tensions are growing in neighboring countries. According to Al Jazeera, an explosion was heard this morning in Baghdad, Iraq, in the ‘Green Zone’, an area where embassies from various countries, including the United States, are concentrated.
Al Jazeera reported, “As the United States continues to support Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip, U.S. troops and related facilities throughout the Middle East have been subject to attacks.” It is reported that on this day, along with the sound of an explosion, a siren urging evacuation and hiding was sounded.
Additionally, in Egypt on this day, Foreign Minister Shameh Shoukry sent a warning message to the possibility of forced migration through a CNN interview, saying that if Palestinian residents were to come to the country due to Israel’s military operations, it could be a violation of international law.
In relation to this, Axios published a report that day, citing four U.S. and Israeli officials, who warned that Egypt could end in a breakdown of diplomatic relations with Israel in the future.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.