Hezbollah has informed Lebanese leaders that it intends to respond to future Israeli strikes against its operatives, according to a letter the Shia terror organization sent to top officials in Beirut. The group emphasized, however, that this does not constitute a decision to go to war, but rather an assertion of its "right" to defend Lebanon.
On Thursday morning, Israel struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. The Al-Hadath channel reported that the strikes focused on Hezbollah centers in the al-Abasiya area in the Tyre district. Al-Mayadeen reported multiple casualties in the attack. According to Lebanese reports, the strikes hit the villages of Toura and al-Abasiya. Medical teams were dispatched to evacuate the wounded.
Letter addressed to Lebanon's leadership
Hezbollah directed its "open letter" to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. "We are expressing our vision regarding the situation and the national position required to preserve Lebanon's interests," the letter began.
Hezbollah accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement numerous times since it was signed. "We affirm our legitimate right to resist and its aggression, and to stand alongside our army and our people to defend our country's sovereignty," the organization wrote. "This legitimate defense is not a decision for peace or war, but rather the exercise of our right to defend against an enemy that is imposing war on our country and not stopping its attacks, but rather wants to subjugate our state."
Lebanese sources told Al-Hadath in response to Hezbollah's letter: "Lebanon's president is exercising his powers according to the constitution. The Lebanese majority is what decides in every case. The state is the decision-maker, and no one can challenge that."
The IDF announced that it struck terrorists operating in a terror infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah's construction unit in the Tyre area. According to the military, the infrastructure was used to produce equipment that Hezbollah operatives used to reconstruct terror installations that were attacked and destroyed during the war. "The activity of Hezbollah terror operatives in the infrastructure constituted a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the IDF stated. "The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to the territory of the State of Israel."
In a separate incident three days ago, a Hezbollah commander was eliminated in Lebanon, one day after surviving an assassination attempt.
Lebanese demands and diplomatic pressure
This week, as previously reported in Israel Hayom, American sources told Lebanese President Aoun to dismantle Hezbollah and avoid confrontation with Israel. The Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to Hezbollah, claimed that messages to this effect were conveyed to Aoun in recent days.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who also leads the Amal movement, recently met with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad. During the meeting, Berri complained about Israeli strikes and demanded they "stop for at least two months." Berri also asked Rashad whether there was a mechanism that could convince Israel to agree to this. According to the report, Israeli officials emphasized in contacts with mediators that they would not provide guarantees and that Lebanon must accept negotiations "under fire."
In recent weeks, tensions between the sides have increased against the backdrop of growing reconstruction efforts by the Iranian-backed Shia terror organization.
