On a relative term – Amos Harel in Haaretz:
‘The assassination operation in the heart of Beirut on Sunday was the harshest Israeli action in Lebanon since a cease-fire came into effect a year ago. After weeks of threats, the air force killed Haytham Ali Tabatabai, who has been termed Hezbollah's chief of staff. Most of the organization's leadership, first and foremost former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, were killed during the war last fall.
"Cease-fire" is a relative term. In practice, Israel resumed its attacks almost from day one, mainly targeting Hezbollah operatives and weapons systems deployed south of the Litani River. Over the past year, almost 400 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. Most were Hezbollah military operatives, but in one unusual strike last week, on a Hamas military target in the Ein al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon, 14 Palestinians were killed.’
(…)
‘The balance of power between the sides is different than it was more than a year ago. Nasrallah and most of Hezbollah's military leadership are no longer alive, the organization's rocket stockpiles have shrunk, and its fighting spirit is also apparently not what it used to be. Nevertheless, there is a risk that Hezbollah will retaliate.’
(…)
‘But, as is usual with Netanyahu, it's also impossible to ignore how convenient these moves are for him politically. It's no accident that he ratcheted up tensions with the Syrian government through a provocative visit to the Syrian side of the Golan Heights last week. The operation in Beirut also apparently isn't unconnected to such calculations, and ditto for the regular friction in Gaza.
The fact that flames of varying heights are burning on several fronts helps Netanyahu control the public conversation and lay the groundwork for the mood he wants in the upcoming election campaign. It also provides him with a multitude of excuses for further delays in his criminal trial.’
Read the article here.
A relative term indeed. From one so-called ceasefire to the next forever war.
Where Netanyahu’s personal interests stop is never clear, but the Israeli electorate is apparently not ready yet to dispose of him.
Till now, Hezbollah appears not in the for another war, but the moment might come that Hezbollah doesn’t see than respond to Israeli provocations or preemptive actions, depending on your mood and beliefs.
Sometimes wars begin because people don’t want to lose face.
