Is Netanyahu paving the way for all-out war with Hezbollah? How Israeli PM ‘widened war goals’ hours before pager blasts and is poised to ‘sack defence chief who pushed for ceasefire’

The Middle East is on the brink of collapse after a massive attack on Hezbollah detonated thousands of Hezbollah beepers, just hours after Israel’s prime minister announced he would step up military action against Lebanon.

Although Israel has not confirmed that it was behind the beeping signals, About 2,800 Hezbollah members and civilians were injured and nine killed in Lebanon and Syria – several security sources have blamed the IDF and Mossad, spy agency for the attack.

Hostile rhetoric on both sides was already increasing before the explosions, amid the ongoing chaos.cross-border shelling between Lebanon and Israel over the past year, as Hezbollah continues to attack Israel in a show of support for its allies Hamas in Gaza.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Benjamin Netanyahu is set to fire his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant. Gallant is widely seen as the most outspoken minister pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza to release Israeli hostages.

This means that the chances of a ceasefire in Gaza are becoming increasingly remote, while at the same time tensions on Israel’s northern border are rising and Netanyahu is apparently pushing for a broader escalation.

Ambulances arrived at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) yesterday

Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on the village of Blida in southern Lebanon, seen from an undisclosed location in the Upper Galilee, northern Israel, September 17

The sudden and unexpected explosions sparked widespread panic and chaotic scenes in footage shared on social media and broadcast by Lebanese and Israeli media.

Over the weekend, Israel’s prime minister called for a “change in the balance of power on our northern border” amid near-daily attacks by Hezbollah, while vowing to do “whatever it takes” to allow evacuated residents to return to their homes.

Israel is preparing for a war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, seeking to fight the Iranian-backed militant group to improve security in the northern region.

Netanyahu presents it as an existential war for Israel and argues that this is no time to show weakness. He ignores calls for restraint and compromise, including from his war cabinet.

According to Israeli media Haaertz, the prime minister’s office has spread the message that while he is pushing for a bigger confrontation with Hezbollah, retired general Gallant is against it.

Michael Milshtein, a leading scholar of Palestinian studies at Tel Aviv University, said Gallant “does not want a broad escalation” but that Netanyahu is the ‘consideration’.

Netanyahu announced Tuesday that his forces, in an expansion of Israel’s official war goals, are now focused on stopping Hezbollah’s attacks in the north, allowing tens of thousands of residents to return to their homes along the border.

When news of the plans broke, Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to the Biden administration, warned Netanyahu against launching a broader war against Lebanon, sources told Axios.

On the same day, Gallant told the US military envoy visiting the region that “military action” is the “only way to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities.”

According to reports, Netanyahu’s office has been spreading the message that while he is pushing for a bigger confrontation with Hezbollah, retired General Gallant is opposed to it.

Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been clashing almost daily for more than 11 months, with the Fighting left hundreds of people dead in Lebanon and dozens in Israel, and tens of thousands displaced on both sides of the border.

Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem has insisted his group has “no intention of waging war” but warned that if Israel were to “initiate” one, “there would be huge losses on both sides.”

He added that if Israel were to expand its “aggression,” it should not prepare for the return of the approximately 100,000 displaced people, but should prepare for hundreds of thousands more displaced people.

Tensions have since risen further following Tuesday’s beeper explosions, with The militant group vows revenge and warns its arch-enemy to “wait for a response to the massacre.”

Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept an attack from Lebanon on the Galilee region, near Kiryat Shmona, as seen from the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024

Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at LSE, described it as “one of the biggest security breaches” ever for Hezbollah, and said the terrorist organisation was now seeking revenge.

“I don’t think we can expect major retaliation in the coming hours or days. Hezbollah will take its time to assess the consequences.

“My view is that Hezbollah is facing a huge strategic dilemma. Because while Hezbollah feels obliged to strike back, it does not really want to unleash an all-out war.”

But, he said, Israel is more prepared to expand the conflict. “This is the first shot in Israel’s all-out war against Hezbollah,” he said.

Police officers inspect a car in which a pager exploded, Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, September 17, 2024

The remains of what is believed to be a pager carried by a Lebanese militant that was detonated earlier today

‘Israel has really provoked Hezbollah, has put pressure on Hezbollah, and this attack is really not just a psychological attack, this is a major, catastrophic security attack on Hezbollah.

He added that he doubted Hezbollah would attack civilians in Israel despite the increasing rhetoric.

“Hezbollah’s overarching strategic goal is to avoid all-out war, because both Iran and Hezbollah are convinced that Israel wants to push them into all-out war, not only against Israel, but also against its Western allies who have an extraordinary navy.”

Meanwhile, the US and Britain have called for de-escalation and “calm heads” in the powder keg region.

“We continue to monitor the situation in Lebanon closely and the UK is working with diplomatic and humanitarian partners in the region,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

“The civilian casualties following these explosions are deeply troubling. We urge calm and de-escalation at this critical time.”

Hezbollah’s leadership said in a defiant statement: “The resistance will continue its operations today, like every other day, to support Gaza, its people and its resistance. This is a different path from the severe punishment that awaits the criminal enemy (Israel) in response to Tuesday’s massacre.”