Serious overnight escalation between Israel and Hezbollah
The Security Council unanimously condemns the Iranian attacks against the Gulf countries and demands their "immediate halt"
A serious escalation occurred on Wednesday evening between Israel and Hezbollah. The pro-Iranian party launched nearly 200 rockets in a few minutes against northern Israel and Galilee earlier in the evening. The Israeli air force was quick to retaliate by carrying out a series of particularly violent raids against the southern suburbs, which were quickly covered in thick clouds of black smoke.
Following the escalation initiated by Hezbollah, Israeli sources indicated late in the evening (Beirut time) that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was examining with his staff the possibility of expanding the ground intervention into Lebanon. In this context, an Israeli security source stated on Wednesday evening that the United States could participate in air raids « in Baalbek and the Beqaa ». The same source specified that « the military operation will not stop at the Litani ». « We will act from South to North, and all targets are legitimate », added the Israeli source.
Iran and Hezbollah stigmatized at the UN
On the political-diplomatic front, the Arabic-language channel al-Hadath reported a statement by a senior military advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution who promised to « destroy Israel ». These remarks undoubtedly reflect a desire for a reckless escalation on the part of the mullahs' regime.
In New York, the behavior of the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah was severely and unanimously condemned. At the end of an extraordinary meeting dedicated to the war in Iran and the situation in Lebanon, the Security Council thus approved a resolution presented by Jordan and the Gulf States condemning Iranian attacks against Gulf countries. The UN resolution demands « an immediate halt to Iranian attacks ».
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, the French ambassador to the UN had read out a statement, in the presence of European Union ambassadors, calling Hezbollah's entry into war against Israel « irresponsible ». The French ambassador added that the pro-Iranian party must « cease its attacks against Israel and hand over its weapons to the Lebanese government ». In the same vein, the President of the French Senate, Gérard Larcher (a great friend of Lebanon for many years), stressed that France must help the Lebanese authorities disarm Hezbollah, which « does not defend Lebanon, but serves Iran's interests », he noted.
For her part, the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political Affairs condemned, during the Security Council meeting, Hezbollah's attitude, noting that this party « refused to cooperate with the Lebanese government to restore the sovereignty of the State and apply the decision on the monopoly of weapons ».
As for Israel's ambassador to the UN, he presented Lebanon with a choice that leaves no room for procrastination. « The Lebanese government, » he declared, « is faced with the following alternative: either it dismantles Hezbollah's military apparatus, or we will do it ourselves »…
It should also be noted that, concomitantly with the flare-up between Israel and Hezbollah, a major development occurred in Iran over the last twenty-four hours. An Iranian news agency thus indicated « that at least ten members of the security forces were killed during clashes with armed elements in Tehran ». No further details could be obtained regarding the scope of this incident.