The Israel Defense Force delivered its most significant strike against Hezbollah since Oct. 8, when the Iranian-backed group began attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas. On Sunday, Aug. 25, the Israeli Air Force used 100 fighter jets to strike rocket and missile launchers at dozens of locations in southern Lebanon. The strikes killed three Hezbollah fighters.
The IDF said the attack was preemptive and targeted launchers that were set to fire imminently into Israel.
“Israel has been able—in a few minutes—to eliminate what Hezbollah was building for years in south Lebanon,” Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence officer, author and senior adviser on Israeli-Arab affairs, said.
“I listened, like many people in the region [on Aug. 25], to the speech of Hezbollah’s leader, Nasrallah,” Melamed continued. “You will not be surprised to know that people in the region basically said Nasrallah was doing belly dancing. Just to keep some sort of pride after what happened yesterday. [He] tried to wipe the egg off his face and still come out as someone who made some achievements.”
Following Israel’s strike, Hezbollah launched a few hundred rockets and drones at Israel, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. Falling debris or shrapnel, likely from one of the interceptions, killed one Israeli sailor. Most of the damage from Hezbollah’s attack was limited to a chicken coop. Nasrallah asserted that the attack “went exactly as planned.”
“And that became a big mockery in the Arab world,” Melamed said. “I mean, the Arab world is mocking Hezbollah. I came across dozens of animations and cartoons that basically portray Hezbollah as the one that actually, in the end of the day, was able to kill a chicken with all its Iranian weapons.”
After both sides declared victory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Nasrallah indicated that the escalation might be over, as neither Israel nor Hezbollah’s backer, Iran, wants an all-out regional war.
Melamed said there may now be a renewed focus on creating a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas but pointed to an “interesting dynamic” in the relationship between Hamas, Hezbollah and their Iranian supporters.
“To a certain extent, it came kind of like almost an ironic situation. Why ironic? Because Hamas refusing, as of now, to move forward towards a deal, in a way, holds Hezbollah and Iran as hostages,” Melamed said. “Nasrallah said since day one, since October 8, when he began striking Israel, ‘The moment there will be a cease-fire, I will stop the shooting.’ Meanwhile, there hasn’t been a cease-fire. Hezbollah lost 440 or 450 militants, including most of its senior commanders. [On Aug. 25], it sustained a very significant slap. Let’s put it this way.”
It remains to be seen whether that slap will persuade Hamas’ remaining leader, Yahya Sinwar, to accept the cease-fire deal on the table. Melamed said Sinwar is running out of options and allies in the Arab world. He also said he believes there is no political win that Sinwar could achieve for the Palestinians that could justify the devastation in Gaza following the Oct. 7 attacks.
Reuters contributed to this report.
