War with Hezbollah is brewing

The conflict on Israel’s northern border is intensifying. Most commentators believe that full-scale conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is inevitable.

According to senior officials in Israel, the countdown to a potential war with Hezbollah has begun. Hezbollah has attacked northern Israel nearly every day since joining the war in support of Gaza-based Hamas on Oct. 8, killing more than 20 people and causing widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the ongoing violence. Since October, Hezbollah has fired more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and suicide drones at Israeli border communities.

For months, Israeli officials have told Hezbollah to back off, or it will be forced to make them do so. Instead of resolving these issues diplomatically and allowing the thousands of displaced Israelis in the north to come home, Hezbollah only intensified its attacks.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned during his visit to Washington this week that Israel’s military is capable of taking Lebanon “back to the Stone Age” in any war with Hezbollah militants but insists his government prefers a diplomatic solution on the Israel-Lebanon border.

“We do not want war, but we are preparing for every scenario.”

“We do not want war, but we are preparing for every scenario,” Gallant said. “Hezbollah understands very well that we can inflict massive damage in Lebanon if a war is launched.”

An Israel-Hezbollah war could trigger a direct military response by Tehran. Hezbollah is a proxy of the Iranian regime. Lebanon is not the only place where Israel is in conflict with Iran. Mainly through proxies, the revolutionary regime in Iran is behind anti-Israel terror throughout the region, including (in addition to Lebanon) Gaza, the West Bank and Syria. On Wednesday an Israeli strike in Syria targeted the service center of a foundation affiliated with pro-Iranian militia including Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.

Meanwhile, Israel continues its campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and recover the remaining hostages. Israeli Air Force jets and drones struck dozens of targets throughout Gaza on Tuesday, including booby-trapped buildings, attack tunnels, other terrorist infrastructure and gunmen, according to the IDF.

“Israel continues its campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and recover the remaining hostages.”

An Israel Defense Forces drone strike in Gaza City killed Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist Fadi al-Wadiya, who was involved in developing missiles for the Iranian proxy group, the army announced. The strike was denounced by the Paris-based Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) NGO, which named al-Wadiya as one of its staffers. The IDF announced that Al-Wadiya served as the terrorist organization’s “source of knowledge” in the fields of electronics and chemistry. “Always check to see who you’re hiring… Your colleague, Fadi Al-Wadiya, was a significant terrorist in Islamic Jihad,” the military tweeted.

Discussions continue about the future of Gaza. During his visit to the US, Defence Minister Gallant also discussed with senior US officials his “day after” proposals for governance of post-war Gaza that would include local Palestinians, regional partners and the US. He said it would be “a long and complex process.” The US is trying to recruit Arab allies for its vision for the post-war management of Gaza, even though a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains elusive. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have stated they are prepared to participate in a post-war Gaza security force.

Let us continue to pray for Israel’s leaders, for the hostages held in Gaza, for the Palestinians suffering under Hamas, for all who hate Israel and for the leaders of all nations.

May God’s Spirit change the hearts and minds of those who are committed to hatred and violence, and may all people learn to place their trust not in weapons or strength, but in the One and Only Living God.

The Editorial Team Israel & Christians Today

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