An Israeli strike on south Lebanon on Monday killed a senior commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, three security sources told Reuters.

The security sources identified him as Wissam al-Tawil, the deputy head of a unit within the Radwan force. They said he and another Hezbollah fighter were killed when their car was hit in a strike on the Lebanese village of Majdal Selm.

“This is a very painful strike,” one of the security sources said. Another said, “things will flare up now.”

Israeli bombardment has killed more than 130 Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon since cross-border shelling began in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israeli territory on Oct. 7. Another 19 have been killed in Syria.

Hezbollah’s secretary-general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel in two televised addresses last week not to launch a full-scale war on Lebanon.

  • Candelestine@lemmy.worldEnglish
    214·
    6 months ago

    Netanyahu wants another war. Once he can redeploy some troops from Gaza to the north, he’ll probably launch an invasion himself.

    He frankly has no choice, in terms of self preservation. Once Israel is no longer at war, his political life is over. So, once Gaza is wrapped up, he will need a second war nearby to keep the Israeli people from … dealing with him.

    Every wannabe dictator’s greatest potential enemy is always their own people. There are, however, methods for mitigating that risk. Lots of methods actually. I expect him to use pretty much all of them, as they become possible.

    He was playing a dangerous game years ago though, and it all blew up this year. Now its the scramble to stay alive and on top, and that’s all he really cares about. No cost is too high, even the health and survival of Israel itself becomes a secondary consideration.

    Regarding your question, you do not need to wonder. Biden parked an aircraft carrier nearby and said in no uncertain terms to leave Israel alone. That is strong pre-emptive support. Though I doubt he’d actually support another Israeli invasion, a position I think he’ll find himself in fairly soonish. Not that they actually need help, the IDF is a fairly large, powerful army just by itself.

    • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOPEnglish
      115·
      6 months ago

      Once Israel is no longer at war, his political life is over.

      A more cynical person might wonder if he didn’t intentionally ignore the Oct 7th warning signs so he could save his political ass.