Hezbollah Responds to Israel's Incursions
Across Blue Line
Hezbollah dismissed as "false" Israel's claim on October 1 that its forces crossed into southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese resistance movement says its fighters are ready for a "direct confrontation" if Israeli troops enter. Spokesman Mohammed Afifi made the remarks in a statement, after the Israeli military announced its troops had entered southern Lebanon earlier in the day in preparation for a ground operation. Afifi went on to say that "no direct ground clashes have yet taken place between the resistance fighters and the occupation forces," emphasizing that the allegations are false. "Hezbollah fighters are ready for a direct confrontation with enemy forces that dare to or try to enter Lebanon to inflict casualties among them."
On October 2, the Lebanese military said an Israeli military force breached the border, reaching 400 metres (about a quarter of a mile) into Lebanese territory before withdrawing.
"An
Israeli enemy force breached the Blue Line by approximately 400
metres
into Lebanese territory in the areas of Khirbet Yaroun and the
Aadeyseh, then withdrew after a short period," the army said.
The Blue Line is a reference to the demarcation border area that separates Israel and Lebanon.
A White House National Security (NSC) spokesperson told the Times of Israel that the limited raids that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched against Hezbollah posts on the Lebanese side of the Blue Line are "in line with Israel's right to defend its citizens and safely return civilians to their homes." "We support Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah and all Iranian-backed terror groups," the NSC spokesperson said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant on September 30, according to news reports. The reports say they "agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel's northern communities. [...] He and Minister Gallant discussed the importance of ultimately pivoting from military operations to a diplomatic pathway to provide security and stability as soon as feasible. Austin and Gallant went on to threaten Iran with serious consequences if in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel."
The Times of Israel reported this U.S. declaration as confirmation that "The Biden administration appears to express its support for the raids that the IDF began conducting late Monday night [September 29-30] into Lebanon targeting Hezbollah sites along the border."
This article was published in
October
2, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/ITN2024/Articles/TI54235.HTM
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