Çağatay Cebe
After a day of the Aqsa Storm Operation initiated by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, including the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Jerusalem Brigades, and the Fajr Forces from Lebanon’s south, such as Hezbollah, launched rocket and ATGM attacks towards northern Israel. During the period from October 8 to November 10, mutual retaliatory attacks occurred, with Lebanese groups carrying out 113 attacks while Israel executed 553 attacks. Amnesty closely monitored Israel’s attacks during this period, revealing the use of white phosphorus in southern Lebanon. Throughout this process, many civilians, including Reuters photographer Isam Abdallah, lost their lives due to Israeli attacks, and the number of Hezbollah fighters killed reached 70 by November 10.
Following the death of a woman and three children in an Israeli attack on November 5, the Lebanese government announced that they would bring a file containing war crimes committed by Tel Aviv to the UN Security Council.
After Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s speech on November 11, the party intensified the frequency and intensity of its attacks on Israel. On November 20, Hezbollah released footage of four rockets from the “Burkan” class, weighing between 100 and 500 kilograms and with a range of 10 kilometres, fired at the Israeli military base of the 91st Division. In response, Israel targeted an aluminium factory 20 kilometres from the border with an armed drone, using a truck located 45 kilometres inside the Lebanese border. Despite this escalation, Hezbollah announced a decrease in its losses, stating that as of November 20, it had lost 77 fighters in Israeli attacks.
As a result of Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, on November 13, a group of journalists affiliated with international media organizations was targeted in Alma al-Shaab. Additionally, on November 21, in an attack by Israel on the road between Tayr Harfa and Jabbain, two journalists from Al Mayadeen, Farah Omar and Rabae al-Mamari, lost their lives.
Due to the Israeli attacks, around 100,000 residents of southern Lebanon have been forced to abandon their homes and migrate to other regions.
There is growing concern about escalating tensions following the death of Abbas Raad, the son of Hezbollah’s parliamentary group leader, Mohammed Raad, in an Israeli airstrike on the evening of November 22.
Nature and Agriculture Suffering
Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon not only target military objectives or civilian populations but also have a detrimental impact on the environment. Particularly, the reported use of white phosphorus by Israel is causing destruction to agricultural lands, where people earn their livelihoods. According to Lebanon’s Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, Israeli attacks caused 351 fires in 53 villages. More than 47,000 olive trees were lost due to these fires. Minister Hassan mentioned that 60% of the burned areas were forests, and 30% were agricultural lands, affecting livestock farming and greenhouse cultivation. Minister of Environment Nasser Yassine stated that Israel’s use of white phosphorus led to the burning of 460 hectares of forests and agricultural lands.
Avoiding Escalation of the Conflict
As conflicts between armed groups in Israel and Lebanon escalate to a certain extent, the United States is reluctant to see a second front open in the north of Israel and to engage in a regional war involving Iran. Assuming that leaders in Tehran share the same preference, the United States has sent President Joe Biden’s advisor, Amos Hochstein, to the region to discuss the matter with Lebanese and Israeli officials. Abbas Ibrahim, Lebanon’s former intelligence chief, is playing a role as a communication channel between Hezbollah and the United States.
