Israel declares state of emergency after Hezbollah attack

Early Sunday morning, the Israeli army struck several targets in Lebanon after discovering Hezbollah was preparing to launch “large-scale attacks” on Israel. At least three people were killed. Tel Aviv claims it was an act of “self-defense” and a “preemptive” attack.

In turn, Hezbollah also launched a series of attacks using more than 320 rockets and missiles aimed at northern Israel. An Israeli naval officer died. The group believes it was the first stage of revenge for the death of Fuad Shukr, a Hezbollah commander, in late July. Faced with the escalating conflict, Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency and launched new attacks on Hezbollah missile platforms in southern Lebanon to “eliminate possible threats.”

Although its “preemptive” attacks were effective and caused little damage, Tel Aviv is braced for a possible response from Hezbollah. “Hezbollah’s continued aggression risks dragging the people of Lebanon, the people of Israel and the entire region into further escalation,” Israeli spokesman Daniel Hagari warned.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already said he is determined to do everything possible to protect the country, and issued a warning: “We harm whoever harms us.”

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels praised the Lebanese Shiite group for attacking Israel and renewed their threat to retaliate for last month’s Israeli offensive on the city of Hodeida. “We reaffirm that Yemen’s response is already underway,” the group said in a statement. Hamas also praised Hezbollah’s “strong and focused” response.

Following the attacks, community leaders in northern Israel cut ties with Netanyahu’s government and denounced the marginalization they had suffered for months as a result of Hezbollah attacks. “Israel only launches preemptive attacks when it realizes it is going to attack Tel Aviv,” they lamented.

Pope Calls for Peace in Palestine and Attacks Kyiv
Pope Francis, who returned Sunday to call for peace in Palestine, criticized Kyiv’s decision on August 20 to give parishes nine months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. “I fear for the freedom of those who pray, because those who truly pray always pray for everyone. You do not commit evil because you pray. If someone commits evil against his people, he will be accused of it, but he could not commit evil because he prayed,” he began by referring to the Holy Father in his greeting after the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, before adding: “Let those who want to pray be allowed to pray in what they consider their Church. Please do not allow any Christian Church to be abolished, directly or indirectly: the Churches must not be touched.” The decision, adopted by the Ukrainian parliament with an overwhelming majority, has already been criticized by Moscow, which sees it as a way to “destroy true canonical orthodoxy and replace it with a false surrogate Church.” The wars, especially the one in the Middle East, have not been forgotten by the Pope, who once again called for peace. “Let us continue to pray for an end to the wars in Palestine, Israel, Myanmar and all other regions. The people are asking for peace!” he said. On Saturday, the Pope asked to “listen to the cries of the poor, widows and orphans,” to understand “the abyss (…) that lies at the root of the war,” and “to decide to choose peace by all possible means.”

DETAILS
Cease-fire
The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon and peacekeepers stationed in the country called on Hezbollah and Israel to “refrain from any further escalation” and “cease fire.”

CANCELLATION
Air France, Etihad Airways and Aegean Airlines are among the airlines that have cancelled flights to or from Tel Aviv due to escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

“This is not the end of the story”
“What happened today was not the end of history,” Netanyahu warned. The Israeli prime minister said Israel’s bombing in Lebanon was “another step” toward ensuring the return of displaced Israelis to the north of the Jewish state.