Major escalation’: Israel bombs densely populated area of Beirut, Hezbollah says commander survived the attack

SOTT, Peoples Dispatch, Tue, 30 Jul 2024

In a major escalation towards regional war, Israel today bombed one of the most densely populated areas in Beirut. The Israeli military claims to have targeted a senior Hezbollah commander, who in fact survived the attack. Israeli forces have claimed that this commander was responsible for theattackon Majdal Shams, in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights on Saturday, July 27.

Comment: Except that Hezbollah have refuted the claim, and they aren’t known for lying about their retaliations, whilst Israel is. Hezbollah also has no reason to kill Druze people in what is Syrian territory. And, tellingly, when Israeli officials visited to ‘pay their respects’ they were shouted down by the locals.

The attack occurred almost immediately after Netanyahu had finished his US genocide tour, and after allegedly receiving pledges of support from US officials to escalate the Greater Israel war. Netanyahu used this incident as his excuse to leave the US earlier than scheduled: Israel’s FM claims ‘moment of an all-out war’ with Hezbollah approaching

Following this attack, Israeli officials had released numerous threats against Hezbollah, who they blamed for the Majdal Shams strike, which killed at least 12 people, including 9 children and one teenager. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuvowed that Israel will “not let [the attack] pass in silence.” Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari threatened, “We will prepare for a response against Hezbollah, we will act.”

Comment: Israel’s motive for this attack should now be quite obvious.

Israel’s attack of densely populated Beirut was this response, an attack which resulted in the death of at least one person.

However, Hezbollah as well as other regional resistance forces have claimed that they are not responsible for the Majdal Shams attack, with some placing the blame squarely on Israel. The head of the Druze initiative Ghaleb Saifclaimedthat the missiles which fell on the Syrian Golan Heights and Galilee were Israeli interceptor missiles. “Every day, we see how Iron Dome missiles miss their targets and end up falling on us,” he said.

The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani described the attack on Majdal Shams as a “staged play orchestrated by the occupation regime.”

“This was incredibly reckless and criminal by Israel. Once again it’s the side labeled ‘terrorists’ who are left to act as the adults in the room,” said Rania Khalek, journalist with Breakthrough News who is based in Beirut. According to Khalek, “awaiting Hezbollah’s response never feels as unsettling as awaiting Israel’s aggression, [because Hezbollah has] thus far been measured while the Israelis play with fire.”

Comment: Around the same time as the above, an explosion was reported at an Iraqi base for ‘Iran-aligned’ security forces base:……………………………….more https://www.sott.net/article/493570-Major-escalation-Israel-bombs-densely-populated-area-of-Beirut-Hezbollah-says-commander-survived-the-attack