“This is war.” Israel attacks Lebanon as Hezbollah leader broadcasts speech Israeli Air Force attacks Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon 09/19/2024, 21:11

The Israel Defense Forces attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. reported IDF press office. The military operation is being carried out with the aim of “reducing the terrorist potential and military infrastructure of the organization.”

“The terrorist organization Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon into a war zone. The statement said that Hezbollah has been weaponizing civilians’ homes for decades, digging tunnels under them and using civilians as human shields.

The attack began simultaneously with a public speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in which he spoke of the pager explosions that killed nearly 40 people. His speech was broadcast literally everywhere, including on the streets of Beirut and other major cities.

At that moment, supersonic bombers flew over the Lebanese capital, the reporter reported “Izvestia”.

As TASS reported, Israeli military aircraft simulated an airstrike, flying at low altitude over Beirut. During the second approach, the fighters broke the sound barrier, which produced a deafening explosion effect. Panic broke out in the city.

The Israeli military said it attacked around 30 operational Hezbollah launchers and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Red lines

Nasrallah in his speech statedHe said the group had suffered a “massive and unprecedented” blow on September 17 and 18 but would definitely continue to fight. He added that Lebanon was at war and that “the group’s fighters were on high alert and fully armed.”

The Hezbollah leader spoke against a red background (the colour symbolises revenge), calling Israelis cowards and urging them not to drag civilians into the conflict.

“The enemy knew that these pagers were not only in military units but also in various institutions. They deliberately tried to kill 4,000 people in one minute. If you want to attack us, target Hezbollah fighters, do not be cowards and do not drag our civilians into this,” he said.

Nasrallah described the incident as a terrorist attack and said Israel had “crossed all red lines” and endangered the lives of Lebanese civilians: pagers were detonated in hospitals, pharmacies, markets, shops, homes, cars and on the streets where many women and children were present.

“We will not lose heart and we will be stronger. This is a war, this is a conflict. We know that the enemy is not only Israel, but also the technological superiority of the US and NATO,” he said.

Hezbollah leader vows Israel will be punished fairly for gadget explosions. “I won’t mention the time, the manner and the place. There will be a reaction,” he threatened.

How did other countries react?

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Lebanese authorities to make every effort to avoid a military conflict, AFP reported, citing the Elysee Palace. The politician called Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun to express his “deep concern over a series of explosions in Lebanon that could lead to a dangerous escalation in the region” and called for “restraint and moderation”.

Macron also reportedly met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran’s mission to the UN has deemed the pager explosions a terrorist attack, the organization said in a letter to the Security Council. Iran has held Israel entirely responsible for the incidents.

Tehran said Israel’s illegal actions constituted terrorism “aimed at increasing tension in the region and further threatening regional peace and security.”

The previous day, the head of the Israeli Defense Ministry, Yoav Gallant, announced that a “new phase of the war” had begun and that the “center of gravity of the military effort” had moved northward to Israel’s border with Lebanon. In a speech on September 19, Nasrallah said that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon amounted to a declaration of war.