Since the war between Hamas and Israel started in October, the tension between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has also increased sharply. – But until the last few days it has been kept at a level that both Israel and Hezbollah are used to. Also, there have generally not been that many dead and injured. This is what senior researcher at PRIO Hilde Henriksen Waage says to news. But on Wednesday this changed when an Israeli soldier was killed and eight wounded in an airstrike. Israel then announced a series of attacks in Lebanon. – Then you have stepped over the unwritten rule about how much you can shoot before it escalates. This is actually dangerous, says Waage. Hilde Henriksen Waage is professor of history at the University of Oslo and senior researcher at PRIO. The retaliatory attack in southern Lebanon killed Hezbollah leader Ali al-Debs on Wednesday, whom Israel has been searching for for a long time. In addition, two Hezbollah members and seven civilians were killed. According to Hezbollah, five children were among those killed. Facts about Hezbollah Shia Muslim movement formed in 1982 as a response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. Led by Hassan Nasrallah (63). Supported by Iran, which also helped found the movement. Has a military and a political branch. The party and the organization are legal in Lebanon, are represented in the national assembly and have been part of governments. Considered a significant power factor in the Middle East and believed to be in possession of a relatively large number of short- and medium-range missiles. Is on the US terror list. Hezbollah’s military branch is listed on the EU’s terror list. Source: NTB – Farlig Waage believes the attack against the soldiers in Israel, and its outcome, was a misjudgment on the part of Hezbollah. – There is nothing to indicate that Hezbollah wants to escalate so that Lebanon is also in a full-scale war with Israel. But it is a question we cannot know the answer to and that makes it dangerous. Special adviser in the Defense Staff Hanne Eggen Røislien, on the other hand, believes that the escalation of the conflict with Hezbollah has been the plan of the Israeli defense all along. – The plans are not new, there are more phases of warfare. Hezbollah supporters gathered to honor slain soldiers. Photo: Reuters Røislien says that in recent weeks the Israeli Defense Force has pulled soldiers out of Gaza to be able to give them rest, but also to be able to use them elsewhere. – The Israeli defense forces have been preparing their forces for a long time for increased mobilization and warfare in the north. Hanne Eggen Røislien has written a doctorate on religious studies at the Israeli Defense Forces. Photo: Ruth Synnøve Barsten / news She emphasizes that it does not mean that Israel has wanted an escalation, but that they have planned for it. Because Israel’s goal is to remove Hamas as a threat, and: – They cannot do that, if they do not at the same time have some form of, call it settlement, with Hezbollah. Both the UN and the US demand that the escalation at the border be halted. – The recent escalation is really dangerous and must stop, says a spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday. The UN peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) has registered a worrying shift along the border, with frequent skirmishes, says Stephane Dujarric. Bombing of an area in southern Lebanon, seen from Israel. Photo: AP The USA also fears an escalation. – We believe that there must be a diplomatic way, says a spokesman for the US Foreign Ministry, Matthew Miller. Not exploded – yet Many of the parties have sat on the fence for a while and watched how Gaza has developed before they dare to do anything, according to Røislien. – So it’s a bit like going back to the Arab Spring, where you see that no one wants the large spread of these war zones. But it drags on until now. And it is difficult to say what will happen next. – We are located in the landscape where wood is carried for the fire, but not in such a way that this has exploded, says Waage. She also does not think Israel has any interest in entering a war with Hezbollah now. They have had enough with the war in Gaza and keeping the West Bank under control. – But the tension is increasing, both in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon. A very dangerous game.
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The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is escalating – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
