The conflict between Lebanon, Israel and Iran has ramped up with devastating effects. After a two-week bombing campaign in Lebanon, Israel has now begun a military ground invasion. In response, Iran has fired more than 200 missiles at Israel. Here’s everything you need to know.
According to the Lebanon Health Ministry, the Lebanese death toll for the past two weeks sits at over 1,000 with a further 6,000 people injured. The Lebanese government has claimed a million people have also been displaced due to the violence.
This ground attack would mark the fourth time that Israel has invaded Lebanon in the past 50 years, most recently in 2006 during the 34-day war, in which more than 1,000 Lebanese and 160 Israelis were killed.
Israel claimed its soldiers entered Lebanon on Tuesday, with “limited, localised and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence”. The military said it was targeting certain Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
However, Hezbollah — an Islamist group, founded by Iran, which is part of Lebanon’s political system, and which Australia classifies as a terrorist organisation — has rejected these claims, labelling them a “lie”.
“All Zionist claims that [Israeli] occupation forces have entered Lebanon are false,” a media relations official for Hezbollah told Al Jazeera.
So did Israel invade Lebanon? What’s going on?
A Beirut-based security and political affairs analyst, Ali Rizk, said Israeli troops launched a ground attack, but were “repelled and forced to withdraw”.
“What the Israeli side might be doing is a propaganda war when they speak about successfully entering Lebanese territory. So this might be part of an Israeli psychological war, which wouldn’t be the first time they resort to such tactics,” Rizk told Al Jazeera.
Whether or not Israel has managed to invade Lebanon by ground force, the Israeli attacks have resulted in widespread panic. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that many displaced families are now struggling to gain access to food, clean drinking water and other necessities.
“We are witnessing alarming gaps in health care, with critical shortages of medication and limited access to services affecting the elderly, children and those with chronic conditions,” IRC Lebanon country director Juan Gabriel Wells said in a statement.
“Syrian refugees are also facing a dire situation. Many are now forced to live in makeshift shelters, tents, cars, or even garages, facing not only poor living conditions but also barriers to accessing basic services. These families, often with young children, are struggling to access even the most basic services like health care and clean water.”
On Tuesday, Lebanon and the United Nations petitioned for $426 million in humanitarian aid for the next three months. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Aid coordination office, expressed concern that the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon could worsen due to Israel’s ground invasion.
What’s been happening between Hezbollah and Israel over the past two weeks?
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is allied with Hamas, and has a history of fighting off Israel’s invasions. In May 2024, group leader Hassan Nasrallah declared support for Gaza and Palestine, saying they would continue missile strikes on Israel until there is a ceasefire.
“The link between the supportive Lebanese front and Gaza is definitive, final and conclusive,” he said during a televised address. “No one will be able to de-link them.”
Last Friday, Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah by bombing a Beirut suburb. In a public address, deputy leader Naim Qassem said the group would be choosing a successor and claimed “the resistance forces are ready” if the “Israelis want a ground incursion”.
It came just weeks after Hezbollah was targeted via attacks using mobile phones and pagers, which killed at least 37 people — including children — and injured nearly 3,000 more. Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities claimed Israel was behind the devastating explosions, but Israeli officials have yet to comment.
Iran responds to Israel’s attack on Lebanon and Gaza with 200 missiles
Iran helps fund and provide resources to military groups in the Middle East, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthi rebels from Yemen.
On Tuesday evening, Iran launched approximately 200 rockets and ballistic missiles at Israel as a response to Israeli violence. In a statement, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was retaliation after Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
The statement also noted that Jerusalem will be targeted again by the IRGC if Israel retaliates. On Wednesday, Iran confirmed the missile attack was over unless Israel decides to retaliate.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshikan also issued a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying the attack was “based on legitimate rights” and the “aim of peace and security for Iran and the region.”
“This action was in defence of the interests and citizens of Iran. Let Netanyahu know that Iran is not a belligerent, but it stands firmly against any threat. This is only a corner of our power. Do not enter into a conflict with Iran,” he said.
It’s possible Israel will respond, as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant hinted at more violence to come. “Iran has not learned a simple lesson. Those who attack the State of Israel, shall pay a heavy price,” he said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this, saying that Iran “made a big mistake… and will pay for it”.
The UN Security Council has since scheduled an emergency meeting at 10am local time to discuss the Middle East conflict.
Is Israel preparing for a larger invasion of Lebanon?
While the Israeli military has described their “targeted ground raids” as “limited [and] localised”, a security analyst told Al Jazeera they are possibly preparing something much larger. Currently, the Israeli force on the Lebanon border is getting larger and Elijah Magnier believes they plan to “surround and eliminate Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon”.
“It is not what the Israelis are telling us. From open source [intelligence], we understand that the Israelis have prepared at least 18 brigades. So we are talking about between 70,000 and 100,000 soldiers,” he claimed.
What’s the history between Hezbollah and Israel?
Hezbollah gained notoriety after Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, resulting in an occupation that lasted 22 years and saw almost 18,000 people killed.
Hezbollah fought back against the Israeli occupation for decades, and after a UN resolution ordered Israel to leave, the occupying force finally pulled out in 2000.
In 2006, another war took place between Hezbollah and Israel, after Hezbollah struck Israeli border towns with rockets. In response, Israel invaded Southern Lebanon in an attempt to eliminate Hezbollah. Approximately 1,000 Lebanese civilians lost their lives during this war, however Hezbollah declared themselves victorious.
What is Australia’s stance?
Hezbollah has been designated as a terrorist organisation in Australia and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned Iran’s actions. He also called for an immediate ceasefire in the area.
“We’re very concerned about Iran’s actions, which is why we condemn them,” Albanese said. “There’s been too much loss of life in that region. Israel, of course, has a right to defend itself, what we have called for consistently is for a de-escalation.”
When challenged on his use of words like “escalation and conflict” instead of “war” during an ABC Radio interview, Albanese chose to describe the situation as “tragedy” instead.
“We’ve seen too many innocent civilians lose their life, whether they be Israelis, Palestinians or Lebanese. There at some point does need to be a diplomatic solution here,” Albanese said.
Last week, Albanese released a joint statement with the US, Canada, France, EU, Italy, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, UK, Qatar and the UAE calling for an immediate temporary ceasefire.
Lead image: AP
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