– My father lives here in Kiryat Shmona. I’m taking him further south to my home, where we hope to survive, says Israeli Edo Goldstein to Reuters. On Saturday, Israeli forces fired back at Lebanon after rockets and anti-tank missiles were fired at Israel. In the north of the country, for the last two weeks there have been almost daily clashes from Hezbollah on the Lebanese side of the border. Israeli soldiers in Kiryat Shmona prepare to respond to attacks by Hezbollah on the Lebanese side of the border. On Friday, an IDF soldier was killed as a result of the skirmishes. Photo: JALAA MAREY / AFP The retaliation from Israeli bombs and grenades has led to similar devastation in Lebanon. – The war came suddenly. We had to take our children with us and leave home in a hurry, says the Lebanese 40-year-old Zahira. Over 20 villages in the border area are said to have been evacuated so far. On Friday, a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) was killed by an anti-tank missile near the border, reports the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. There, Israeli troops are ready to move across the border if Hezbollah escalates the situation. Fearing the worst In the Lebanese capital Beirut, people have been buying essential food, daily necessities and medicines. In case the war should come to their city. – We have experienced Israeli bombing and aggression before. We have survived both invasions and attacks, and are here after all the conflicts, says 26-year-old Fadia to news. – War is the last thing Lebanon needs, says Fadia to news. Photo: Terje Haugnes / news In July 2006, Israeli forces entered Lebanon. The aim was to drive out the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which had previously attacked Israeli settlements. Then parts of Beirut were also bombed by Israeli warplanes. The war lasted for just over a month, and claimed the lives of 165 Israelis and over 1,100 Lebanese. Now Lebanon is in the midst of major societal challenges, and is going through the biggest economic crisis in over 100 years. – War is the last thing Lebanon needs, says Fadia. On Friday, there were solidarity markings for Palestine in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Photo: ANWAR AMRO / AFP At the same time as the grenades and bombs have rained on the border, the war of words between Israel and its enemies has intensified. Hezbollah and their main backer Iran say they cannot watch the bombing of Gaza without intervening. – If Israel carries out its planned ground offensive on the Gaza Strip, the conflict could spread in the Middle East, says Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to al-Jazeera. – Confrontation on two fronts Two weeks have passed since Hamas attacked Israel. On the day of the invasion, over 1,200 Israelis died. The Israeli authorities have promised to wipe out the terrorist organization, but the country feels threatened from several sides. Israelis in the north are fleeing – fearing attacks from Hezbollah The relationship with Lebanon is very tense. An escalation to forces from one side crossing the border could have enormous consequences. – As the situation is now, Israel has the right to defend itself. The militia Hezbollah stays below the “threshold” in a strategic and tactical game, says international law expert Cecilie Hellestveit. International law expert Cecilie Hellestveit believes an escalation on Hezbollah’s part will Photo: Cicilie Sigrid Andersen / news She believes it is unlikely that Hezbollah will attack Israel without Iranian support. Among other things, the country has contributed a lot of weapons to the militia. – There are two possible escalations in the north. One situation is if Hezbollah launched a major attack on Israel without Iran. Then Israel, together with the Americans, will probably launch a major Israeli self-defense operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon. – Or Hezbollah can attack Israel with Iran behind it. Then we stand at a massive regional escalation where no one has control, says Hellestveit. Israel and the US have warned Iran not to interfere, either directly or through Hezbollah. To show that he means business, President Joe Biden has sent the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, to the Mediterranean to defend Israel. “USS Gerald R. Ford” is meant to be a clear warning to both Hezbollah and Iran. Coming from all travels Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) is in Cairo on Saturday to participate in a summit meeting with leaders in the Middle East and western countries. He says that the countries are worried about an escalation that expands the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and draws in new countries. – If there are more than small skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah, it will mean a two-front confrontation for Israel. There is deep concern that this conflict will spread to other areas in the region. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) will attend a summit in Cairo on Saturday where solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be discussed. Photo: KHALED DESOUKI / AFP On Friday evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tightened the travel advice to Lebanon. All travel to the country is now advised against, and Norwegians are encouraged to leave the country. Hear the latest “Urix on Saturday” here:
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Evacuate residents – fear war on two fronts – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
