Relief as Hezbollah and Israel seem to step back from brink

Both signalled they did not want an all-out war after the biggest cross-border strikes in 10 months.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersLebanese relief as Hezbollah and Israel seem to step back from brinkReutersBeachgoers in Tyre saw smoke rising from the Lebanon-Israel border during Sunday's strikesFor almost a month, many here in Lebanon have been on tenterhooks, waiting for Hezbollah to retaliate against Israel. The region was waiting also, wondering if this would be the spark for a wider war.

Everyone knew the powerful Iranian-backed group would seek revenge for Israel’s assassination on 30 July of a top military commander, Fuad Shukr. The Israelis managed to hunt him down deep in Hezbollah’s heartland of South Beirut. That was both a strategic loss and a public humiliation.

Just hours later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, in what bore all the hallmarks of another Israeli operation. But Iran continues to signal that its retaliation could be a long-term project.

At 05:15 on Sunday, Hezbollah made its move, launching more than 300 Katyusha rockets and “a large number of drones” across the border into Israel. This was revenge served cold. It was carefully calibrated, and it was less than some had expected.

Hezbollah said it targeted 11 military bases and barracks, and claimed its attack was a success. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said most of the rockets missed their mark.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gv4zede8jo

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