Time Running Out for Peacefully Resolving Hezbollah Conflict, Israel Warns US

Jerusalem, 16 September, 2024 (TPS) -- Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin the time for a diplomatic solution for Hezbollah’s rocket fire is running out during an overnight telephone call.

“The possibility of a settlement in the north is passing. Hezbollah continues to tie itself to Hamas — the direction is clear,” Gallant’s office said.

On Sunday night, following the sirens that sounded in the area of the Upper Galilee, two suspicious aerial targets were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory and falling in the area of the northern Golan Heights.

Also, Israeli aircraft struck approximately 20 Hezbollah launchers and military sites in the southern Lebanese area of Jarmaq, which the Israel Defense Forces said “posed an immediate threat to Israeli civilians.”

During the pre-dawn hours, sirens were sounded in Moshav Avivim, Kibbutz Yir’on and Metula.

Nearly 80,000 Israelis were forced to evacuate their homes near the Lebanon border when Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones in October. Hezbollah leaders have said they will continue the attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes. The attacks have killed 26 civilians and 20 soldiers on the Israeli side.

A meeting of government ministers scheduled for Monday is expected to declare the return of evacuees to their homes a formal war goal.

According to figures released by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Hezbollah fired 1,307 rockets at northern Israel in August, an average of 40 rockets daily.

Since October 8, Hezbollah has launched more than 6,700 rockets and drones.

Israeli officials have been calling for Hezbollah to be disarmed and removed from southern Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War.