Hezbollah
America seeks to leverage reform in Lebanon, including ensuring that Hezbollah no longer has such a grip on the government.
“The status quo in Lebanon is unacceptable,” says U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft. “Now is the time to ... enable the [peacekeeping] mission to fully achieve what it was set out to accomplish.”
In addition to Democrats, reportedly, the U.S. State and U.S. Defense Departments have been for continuing the aid, while many in the White House have advocated halting it.
International organizations and world leaders have promised to donate $300 million in aid to Lebanon.
Addressing the Knesset, the Israeli defense minister says the carnage could have been even worse, as the Iran-backed terror organization also stores explosives in civilian homes.
Decision a “response to the public will for change” • Hezbollah chief, Lebanese leaders hanged in effigy in Beirut protests.
Identity of those who own ammonium-nitrate warehouse being investigated • Substance since 2014 means not used for agriculture • Lebanese state already under economic and social pressure.
“We hit a cell, and now we hit the dispatchers. We will do what is necessary in order to defend ourselves,” insists the Israeli prime minister.
Israel has denied any involvement in the explosion at the port, though there has been speculation that the blast could have been caused by explosive materials stored by Hezbollah.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says militia members were foreigners, bodies transported across border to Iraq • IDF confirms airstrike on Syrian infrastructure after failed bombing in Golan.
Air force targeted an observation post, intelligence collection systems, anti-aircraft artillery, and command-and-control systems.
After a first failed attack, it seems as if Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, possibly with Iranian help, tried instead to launch an attack from the Syrian border, although one that the Shi’ite axis expected would not lead to war. Will he risk escalation again, and how will Israel respond?
