Second Night of Hezbollah Drone Attacks on Northern Israel

The Hezbollah group in Lebanon launched a wave of new drone attacks towards northern Israel from Sunday night to early Monday, August 13. According to Israeli media, the sound of warning sirens indicating the breach of drones and incoming rockets startled residents of Nahariya and its surroundings in the western Galilee region of northern Israel, forcing them to seek safety. This is the second consecutive night that Hezbollah has dispatched a relatively large number of drones at short intervals towards northern Israel. Nahariya had been less threatened since Hezbollah's activities against Israel began 310 days ago, but following the death of Fouad Shukr, the military commander of the group in an Israeli targeted operation, Hezbollah has also placed this city in the crosshairs of its drone attacks. Israeli media reported that an explosion from a drone on the roof of a house early Monday caused financial damage, but the residents were not home. On Sunday, another drone sent by Hezbollah struck a house in northern Israel, causing its destruction, but the residents were among those who had left their homes long ago. The attacks over both nights led to widespread fires in northern Israel, with firefighting teams working to extinguish the blazes. Hezbollah, accepting responsibility for the drone attacks, stated that these operations should not yet be seen as retaliation for the killing of Fouad Shukr, and that a strong retaliatory operation 'is on the way.' Three European countries have called on Iran to refrain from attacking Israel; Chancellor Scholz contacted the Iranian Foreign Minister. In recent weeks, Hezbollah has noticeably reduced its use of rockets in its attacks on Israel, but it is unclear whether this is due to a decrease in the number of rockets or the effectiveness of the Iron Dome system in intercepting and destroying these rockets. Israel acknowledges that it has not yet found an effective solution to counter Hezbollah's inexpensive and rudimentary drones, which fly at very low altitudes and below radar levels. Israeli Army Radio reported on Sunday that the army has doubled the number of its drones over Lebanon to better identify Hezbollah's attempts to send suicide drones towards Israeli airspace. In response to each of Hezbollah's operations, the Israeli army bombs targets in southern Lebanon and identifies and targets Hezbollah forces involved in operations. The number of Hezbollah casualties in southern Lebanon has exceeded 400, and several other Hamas commanders in the area have also been killed. Samer Mahmoud al-Haj was one of the last Hamas casualties, who was killed in Sidon on Friday. Media outlets in Lebanon that oppose Hezbollah reported on Tuesday that the group has evacuated multiple bases in the southern suburbs of Beirut, indicating a possible imminent retaliation promised by the group. According to the newspaper Al-Jumhuriya in Beirut, Hezbollah is preparing for 'the worst conditions' in case of an Israeli response. The Israeli Defense Minister stated on Sunday: 'We hear from Iran and Hezbollah that they want to hit us in a way that has never happened before. Know that anyone who harms us in a way that has not been done in the past will be hit in a way we have not done before, and the Israeli army has great capabilities.' Hezbollah's military operations to express solidarity with the extremist group Hamas have thus far resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians and 18 Israeli soldiers in northern Israel, putting the Israeli government under heavy pressure from tens of thousands of northern residents who have been displaced for over ten months. Tens of thousands have also been displaced on the Lebanese side of the border. Hamas and Hezbollah, two proxy arms of Tehran, are recognized as terrorist groups by many countries among Israel's allies, but the Islamic Republic of Iran refers to them as the 'axis of resistance.'