Hezbollah Launch Attack on Israeli Base: Stating a Desire to Avoid Broader Conflict

On January 9, Hezbollah conducted an attack on an Israeli army base using explosive drones deployed from Lebanon. This marked the first time Hezbollah targeted this position and was declared as a response to recent Israeli assassinations in Lebanon.
Simultaneously, an Israeli attack resulted in the death of three Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon. The ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, sparked by an earlier attack by Hamas from Gaza, have led to significant displacement on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border. The conflict has escalated with increased concerns about its potential to spiral further.
Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, emphasized in a televised speech that the group does not seek to expand the war from Lebanon but stated that if Israel does so, a response is deemed inevitable to the maximum extent necessary to deter Israel.
Israel’s military claimed to have killed the southern Lebanon commander of Hezbollah’s aerial unit, attributing leadership of the attack to this individual. However, Hezbollah rejected this statement, asserting its lack of truth.
Israel’s military claimed to have killed the southern Lebanon commander of Hezbollah’s aerial unit, attributing leadership of the attack to this individual. However, Hezbollah rejected this statement, asserting its lack of truth.
Hezbollah stated that its explosive drones targeted the Israeli army headquarters in Safed, northern Israel, as retaliation for the recent assassination of deputy Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut and the killing of Hezbollah commander Wissam Tawil on Monday. Tawil, a high-ranking Hezbollah officer, played a significant role in directing operations in south Lebanon and had previous deployments to Syria.
The funeral of Wissam Tawil in south Lebanon drew thousands of mourners, highlighting his importance within the organization. The group claimed that this attack on Safed was the first time it targeted the location during the ongoing hostilities. The Israeli army spokesperson confirmed an aerial attack on a northern base but reported no damage or casualties.
An officer within the distinguished Radwan force of the group, Tawil, assumed a prominent role in overseeing Hezbollah operations in southern Lebanon. He had previously been deployed to Syria, where the organization provided support to Damascus during the civil war.
Hezbollah has disclosed that Tawil participated in a cross-border raid into Israel in 2006, a significant event that resulted in the capture of two Israeli soldiers, triggering the last major conflict.
Notably, it has been reported by a source familiar with Hezbollah operations that the recent attack on Safed, located approximately 14 km (8 miles) from the border, marks the first instance of the group targeting this area during the current hostilities.
The Israeli army spokesperson confirmed that an aerial attack targeted a northern base without specifying its exact location. Fortunately, there were no reported damages or casualties resulting from this incident.
The ongoing violence primarily unfolds in the border region, characterized by Hezbollah launching rockets and other weapons at Israeli positions, met with Israeli air and artillery strikes.
The recent assassination of Arouri represents a notable development, as it marks the first time Israel has carried out a strike in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut during the present conflict. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for Arouri’s death. In response to the alleged assassination, Hezbollah claimed that a rocket barrage on Saturday was a retaliatory measure.
“We have observed an escalation in both the frequency and intensity of strikes in the past few days, a trend that is cause for concern,” remarked Kandice Ardiel, a spokesperson for UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
Israel has emphasized its commitment to diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing Hezbollah from targeting its northern residents and compelling the group to distance itself from the border. However, Israel has cautioned that if these objectives are not achieved through diplomatic means, the military will take appropriate action.
The hostilities have resulted in the death of over 130 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, with the three casualties on Tuesday occurring due to a strike on their vehicle in the town of Ghandouriyeh in southern Lebanon.
In an official statement, the Israeli military acknowledged conducting airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Kila, an apparent reference to the Lebanese border village of Kfar Kila, and also targeting a drone squad associated with the group elsewhere in southern Lebanon.
This information has been reported by Laila Bassam in Beirut and Dan Williams in Israel, with contributions from Jana Choukeir and Tom Perry in writing. The content has been edited by Alex Richardson, William Maclean, Angus MacSwan, and David Gregorio.