Latest news with #Dahiyeh
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Hezbollah watches on as Iran and Israel battle, for now
Beirut, Lebanon – When Israel attacked Lebanon in September 2024, Fatima Kandil left her home in Beirut's southern suburbs, known colloquially as Dahiyeh. As the area sustained wide-scale Israeli air strikes, many Lebanese fled Dahiyeh for other parts of the country or, like Kandil, sought refuge in Iraq. Nearly seven months after the November ceasefire between Israel and the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah – an agreement Lebanon says Israel has repeatedly violated – rockets are lighting up the night sky once again. But this time, Hezbollah is not involved. Instead, Israel and Iran are exchanging direct military attacks. 'We don't know how this will all end, so we are undoubtedly tense,' Kandil, now back in Lebanon, told Al Jazeera. However, she added that she had a feeling of satisfaction seeing missiles rain down on Israel. 'Our revenge is being taken,' she said. While Kandil's sentiment is shared by some in Lebanon, others – those who see Iran's support for Hezbollah, a group that has dominated Lebanon militarily and politically for two decades, as nefarious – cheered on the Israeli attacks against Iran. Many people in Lebanon told Al Jazeera they hoped that stability would prevail and that their country wouldn't be dragged back into a prolonged conflict or subjected to the ferocity and frequency of the Israeli attacks it suffered last year. 'People are taking precautions,' Karim Safieddine, a Lebanese political writer and academic, told Al Jazeera. 'Some are readying their bags.' Early Friday, Israel struck Iran and assassinated several top commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) along with top nuclear scientists. Numerous civilians were also killed, including children, according to Iranian state media. Hours later, Hezbollah released a statement condemning the Israeli attacks and offering condolences for the slain Iranian officers. But analysts say the statement was a clear sign that Hezbollah would not be entering the battle in support of Iran. 'Currently, there is no need for Hezbollah to intervene, as Iranian missiles are capable of confronting the Israeli occupation,' said Qassem Kassir, a Lebanese political analyst supportive of the group. 'However, if the situation escalates into a full-scale war, nothing prevents the situation from changing.' Hezbollah, founded amid the Lebanese civil war in 1982 with Iranian backing and funding, draws much of its support from Lebanon's Shia Muslim community. The group began firing rockets at Israel on October 8, 2023, after the start of Israel's war on Gaza. Israeli attacks in Lebanon between October 2023 and November 2024 largely targeted areas where Shia live, killing around 4,000 civilians and fighters, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health. Many Lebanese are still reeling from the damage left by Israel's attacks. Some remain displaced from their villages in southern Lebanon, which was razed. Hezbollah's priority is to ensure that homes and towns are built in the area. While Israel is still hitting targets around the country, mostly in southern Lebanon but occasionally in the Beirut suburbs as well, any resumption of military activity by Hezbollah would likely draw an even more intense Israeli response and further disrupt reconstruction efforts. Much of Hezbollah's military arsenal was reportedly destroyed during the Israeli attacks, though analysts believe they have retained some arms, including ballistic missiles. Still, Hezbollah's lack of intervention in the current Israel-Iran conflict is 'evidence of their lack of capacity', Safieddine said. Hezbollah may not have the means to intervene militarily. The Israeli campaign on Lebanon also left Hezbollah's political leadership battered. Many of the group's most senior military figures, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, were assassinated. The group's political hegemony is now being challenged by the Lebanese state, with pressure from the United States and Israel, as it moves to disarm Hezbollah and bring the use of force under the state's exclusive authority. For now, analysts believe there is a consensus and understanding between Tehran and Hezbollah that the group will not intervene. 'Domestic political circumstances make it extremely difficult for Hezbollah to join in Iranian retaliation,' Nicholas Blanford, a nonresident senior fellow with the US-based think tank Atlantic Council, told Al Jazeera. 'And the Iranians recognise they can't call on them.' While Hezbollah is sometimes referred to as an Iranian proxy, many experts say the group is more accurately described as a close ally of the IRGC and the Iranian government with shared interests and a similar ideology. During Israel's heavy bombardment of Lebanon between September and November 2024, Iran's intervention was relatively limited. Israel invaded southern Lebanon, and while Israeli troops have pulled out of most of the Lebanese territory they entered during the war, they still occupy five points. 'There's resentment and unhappiness toward Iran by Hezbollah because they feel Iran let them down in the recent conflict,' Blanford said. Iran reportedly asked Hezbollah not to use some of its more lethal weapons, which analysts linked to fears of an Israeli response on Iranian territory. As for Israel's attacks on Iran, there's no indication that Tehran has asked Hezbollah to get involved yet, according to Kassir, the analyst thought to be close to Hezbollah. But that might change if a protracted war draws in actors from around the region. Blanford said he doesn't expect to 'see Hezbollah joining in full scale', but noted that if Israel starts to struggle in its fight against Iran, it could lead to 'some activity along the Blue Line', the line traversing Lebanon's southern border. If that happens, Blanford said, Hezbollah may look to carry out operations in the Israeli-occupied areas of Lebanon. Israel's plans for Lebanon and Hezbollah remain unclear, but the sound of Israeli drones, an ever-present buzz during the most severe days of the war, has returned to Beirut's skies in the last few days. 'I wouldn't rule out [Hezbollah's intervention] entirely,' said Blanford. 'But for now, it looks like they will stand on the sidelines and keep an eagle eye on what is going on.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel says it forewarned Beirut of Hezbollah strike yet gov't, army did not act
Israeli officials informed Lebanon of its intended strike on Hezbollah terror targets in Dahiyeh a week prior. Beirut did not respond to Israel's forewarning that it planned to strike terror targets from Hezbollah's Aerial Unit in Dahiyeh, Israeli officials said on Saturday, according to a report from KAN. Israel officials informed Lebanon of its intent to strike Hezbollah's Unit 127 drone infrastructure a week prior, KAN said, however, no response was taken by the Lebanese government or army. The attack on Unit 127 took place on Thursday. Israeli Air Force's "head of Lebanon affairs," intelligence officer Lieutenant Colonel N., had been tracking Hezbollah's Unit 127 for over two years. The unit is responsible for importing, manufacturing, and deploying various unmanned aerial vehicles (AUVs) from Lebanon into Israel. "We hit seven targets: five in Beirut and two in southern Lebanon," Lt. Col. N. confirmed. The IDF specifically targeted Al-Hadath, Haret Hreik, and Burj Al-Barajneh in the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiyeh, as well as several specific buildings, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Thursday. The sites were "deliberately established in the heart of the civilian population in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut," the IDF said. Evacuation warnings were issued to Lebanese residents prior to the attack. "The Lebanese government must disarm the terrorist organization in Hezbollah. You must ensure that the Lebanese army truly enforces the ceasefire agreement and not through coordinated displays," Defense Minister Israel Katz said in response to condemnations of the attack by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, KAN alleged. The French Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the attack in a post of Twitter/X on Friday, calling for "all the parties to abide by the ceasefire."
Irish Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Lebanon complains of ‘one-sided ceasefire' after Israeli air strikes on Beirut
Israel 's wave of air strikes on greater Beirut and southern Lebanon on Thursday night has renewed complaints in Lebanon about a 'one-sided ceasefire'. The strikes occurred more than six months after the truce between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hizbullah came into force. Many Lebanese families had gathered to celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays on the Islamic calendar, when Israeli warnings about expected air strikes were announced through social media, prompting panic and displacement. At least 10 strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, according to the Reuters news agency, while others hit the southern village of Ain Qana. In the aftermath, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun condemned 'the Israeli aggression', calling the strikes a 'flagrant violation of an international accord' and noting they were occurring 'on the eve of a sacred religious festival'. READ MORE When questioned about the timing of the strikes and whether Israel is deliberately violating the ceasefire, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had struck 'underground UAV [drone] production and storage facilities ... as well as a drone manufacturing workshop'. 'Despite the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, Hizbullah's aerial unit continues to engage in terrorism and expand its capabilities. The unit is working to produce thousands of UAVs under the direction and funding of Iranian terrorists, as part of Iran's efforts to harm the State of Israel.' The spokesperson said the alleged activity 'constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF is prepared in defence and offence and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel and its civilians, and will prevent any attempt by Hizbullah to re-establish itself.' Israeli defence minister Israel Katz, in a post on X, said that there was 'perfect execution' of the strikes. 'We see the Lebanese government as directly responsible for preventing violations of the ceasefire and all terrorist activity against the State of Israel,' he said. Under the ceasefire agreement, which came into force in the early hours of November 27th, 2024, Hizbullah fighters were required to move north of the Litani river, while Israel was required to withdraw completely from Lebanon, though its forces remain in five 'strategic' positions. Between November 27th and May 6th, a spokeswoman for the UN peacekeeping force Unifil said it had documented more than 2,700 air violations and almost 70 air attacks by Israel in Lebanon, while there were 19 violations from the Lebanese side, not counting 'legacy violations' of weapons and ammunition left behind. Those figures do not include Israeli strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs, which is outside Unifil's area of operations in southern Lebanon, the spokeswoman said. On May 29th, Irish peacekeepers in southern Lebanon came under fire from Israeli forces while on a joint patrol with the Lebanese Armed Forces. 'This is the latest in a range of what I view as intimidatory behaviour by the IDF towards peacekeepers or, as we saw recently, Irish diplomats too. So this is not acceptable,' said Tánaiste Simon Harris at the time.
MTV Lebanon
06-06-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Salam: Lebanon faces systematic and deliberate targeting ahead of holidays
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the repeated Israeli threats and attacks on Lebanon, especially on Dahiyeh considering them a "systematic and deliberate targeting of Lebanon, its security, stability, and economy, particularly on the eve of the holidays and the tourist season." President Salam emphasizes that "these assaults constitute a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701," calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities to deter Israel from continuing its attacks and to compel it to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory.
Asharq Al-Awsat
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israeli Drones Hover over Beirut and Its Suburbs
Israeli reconnaissance drones hovered at a low altitude on Saturday flying over the Lebanese capital Beirut and several other areas. Lebanese media said the planes flew over the southern suburbs of Beirut, Bchamoun, Aramoun, Khaldeh, Choueifat, and other surrounding areas. Cautious calm prevailed in the southern suburbs of Beirut one day after an Israeli airstrike targeted a building in the area. Israel on Friday carried out its first major airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs in months, retaliating for an earlier rocket launch from Lebanon in the most serious test of a shaky ceasefire deal agreed in November. Israel said the strike had targeted a building in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, a Hezbollah stronghold known as the Dahiyeh, that Israel said was a drone storage facility belonging to the Iranian-backed group. The south Beirut airstrike was heard across the Lebanese capital and produced a large column of black smoke. It followed an evacuation order by Israel's military for the neighborhood, and three smaller targeted drone strikes on the building intended as warning shots, security sources told Reuters.
