Israel threatens to invade Lebanon, carry out further assassinations

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi threatened on Wednesday to invade Lebanon and carry out further assassinations in Beirut following an Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr.

Halevi made the threat during a military exercise conducted by the Israeli army along the northern border with Lebanon.

“Yesterday afternoon, we had an opportunity to eliminate Shukr; the most senior military figure in Hezbollah, and he is also a person very close to [Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan] Nasrallah; he essentially arranges all military matters for him,” Halevi addressed the soldiers.

He pointed out that the “army’s intention with Hezbollah is not to return to Oct. 8.”

“Shukr will not be there, but we will also not let the situation return to having (Hezbollah) present on the border, 200 meters from Metula, or from Shtula, or from Rosh HaNikra” in northern Israel, he added.

Halevi threatened that the Israeli army “knows how to operate and reach a certain window in a neighborhood in Beirut, it knows as well how to target a certain point underground, and we also know how to operate inside on the ground very strongly,” suggesting that further assassinations in the Lebanese capital might be on the horizon.

Tel Aviv blamed Shukr for Saturday’s missile attack that killed 12 people in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in Israel-occupied Golan Heights although Hezbollah has denied any responsibility.

At least five people, including two children, were killed in the Israeli airstrike, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Fears have grown of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed more than 39,400 people since last October, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Mohammad Sio