Israel PM: Lebanon responsible for attacks, Hezbollah or not

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By LAURIE KELLMAN

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s prime minister said Sunday he holds the Lebanese government responsible for rocket fire launched from its territory, whether the Hezbollah militant group launched the weapons or not.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s comments came days after one of the heaviest flareups in violence between Israel and Hezbollah in several years and indicated Israel could expand its response if the rocket fire continues.

“The country of Lebanon and the army of Lebanon have to take responsibility (for) what happens in its backyard,” Bennett told his Cabinet.

Over several days last week, militants in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets into Israel, drawing rare Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. On Friday, Hezbollah fired additional rockets toward Israel, and Israel responded with heavy artillery shelling.



Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks at the weekly cabinet meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (Ronen Zvulun/Pool via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-business-israel-lebanon-hezbollah-058d7dbe42dadb01063b1f8c79947d25

[no_hypocrisy]

1. So if Israel engages with a sovereign nation

vs a terrorist group, can it grab that land, occupy it, and then claim it as part of Israel?

[JohnSJ]

2. So when Afghanistan was giving sanctuary to bin Laden, or Pakistan, are you suggesting we

should have not done anything?

[stopdiggin]

3. I think the question might be

can said 'sovereign nation' claim sovereignty over territory/land that they seemingly have no control over? There's probably not a tidy answer here - but the fact that Lebanon is exhibiting features of a failed state does not prohibit a second entity from the right to defend itself. And if (in some completely theoretical scenario) Israel should 'occupy' some territory in this effort - to whom would they (or should they) theoretically 'return' that land to?
--- ---

[ripcord]

7. If Lebanon claims that land then they are responsible for stopping the attacks

If they fail to stop the attacks Israel would be right to believe the Lebanese government is condoning them.

[stopdiggin]

8. think I have to agree

at least in broad strokes.

[seta1950]

4. Wow

That’s all Lebanon needs a war , on top everything else that’s wrong☹️

[WHITT]

5. Bennett Is Blowing Smoke

Hezbollah fired rockets into open, unoccupied areas of Israel, albeit adjacent to IDF installations, as a shot-across-the-bow warning.

The last time the IDF took on Hezbollah, they got their ass kicked, and they have much more sophisticated armaments now.

This is why the IDF then merely fired artillery shells into open, unoccupied areas of Lebanon.

[Beastly Boy]

6. You arre oveerestimating Hezbillah's targeting skills.

And underestimating Israel's Iron Dome,

The Israeli Defense Force said that of the 19 rockets fired on Friday, 10 were intercepted by the Iron Dome, six landed in "open areas," while three landed in Lebanon territory.

https://news.yahoo.com/hezbollah-takes-responsibility-rocket-fire-124200291.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

[WHITT]

9. No, I'm Not

As I posted:

Hezbollah fired rockets into open, unoccupied areas of Israel

That's where they went.


Quite separately, as to their missile interception performance, you have to take the IDF's claims with a grain of salt, as Hamas demonstrated quite spectacularly.

[Beastly Boy]

10. How do you shoot across the bow and hit your own butt?

And are you quoting yourself as a source for your claims? That's cute!

[WHITT]

13. Being Juvenile

is not very flattering.

[Beastly Boy]

16. Your self-deprecating humor is refresing.

But I was hoping for something more substantive. if you promise to stay on subject and step out of your opinionated bubble, I am willing to give you another chance. Deal?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

11. Yeah, you are.

Hezbollah fires unguided rockets into Israel with the intent of striking populated areas, unguided rockets don't have a very good accuracy rate, so some will hit in open areas, some will hit in populated areas and others will be taken out by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, but make no mistake, Hezbollah was aiming for populated areas of Israel and Israel has every right to defend itself against an aggressor.

[WHITT]

12. Nope

Hezbollah fires unguided rockets into Israel...

Hezbollah's rockets and missiles are not unguided, and they are upgrading to even more precision-guided missile batteries:

Israel estimates Hezbollah possesses over 130,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking anywhere in the country. In recent years, Israel also has expressed concerns that the group is trying to import or develop an arsenal of precision-guided missiles.

Associated Press
https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-lebanon-78c742903569aeb81198ba7bd79052cb

..taken out by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system

HEH.

Israel's "Iron Dome" ain't so iron anymo'.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

14. Wrong again.

Israel estimates Hezbollah possesses over 130,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking anywhere in the country. In recent years, Israel also has expressed concerns that the group is trying to import or develop an arsenal of precision-guided missiles.

All this says is the Hezbollah has rockets that can strike anywhere in Israel, an unguided rocket or missile can strike anywhere in the country if it has the range, doesn't mean it's guided, and it also says that Hezbollah is trying to acquire guided munitions, doesn't mean they have them yet.

HEH.

Israel's "Iron Dome" ain't so iron anymo'

I never said it was perfect, no anti missile system is 100% effective, but the Iron Dome system has a pretty good track record.

[WHITT]

15. HEH

Wrong again

You just keep tellin' yourself that.

...the Iron Dome system has a pretty good track record.

Absolute gibberish.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

17. ....

Absolute gibberish.

You just keep tellin' yourself that.

[WHITT]

19. Apparently

you failed to notice who the AP was attributing their report to.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

20. Apparently your assuming something not supported by fact.

How do you know that I failed to notice?

[Phil the Kilibuster]

18. Revving up the military, are we?

I hope it goes as well for you as your last invasion of Lebanon did.

[McKim]

21. So Will Israel Invade Lebanon Again?

So will Israel invade Lebanon again? This sounds like a rationale for that. I am holding my breath. Scary times.

[ripcord]

22. I'm glad we are smart enough to control the militias here

Lebanon allows a militia almost the size of their army to operate inside its borders, several of the nations lawmakers are members of Hezbollah. Lebanon is responsible for the actions of the militia within its border and if they won't stop them from launching rockets is just as responsible as Hezbollah for reactions of Israel. Hezbollah will get the response they want, the sad thing is after starting the attacks many here will then support their playing the victim.