Local leaders condemn Netanyahu over failure to protect northern settlements from Hezbollah attacks
By richardbrown // 2024-11-05
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On Oct. 31, Hezbollah launched a series of rocket attacks against Israel, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals. The rockets struck the northern settlement of Metula, which is on the border with Lebanon, and the Krayot area at the northern tip of the major city of Haifa. Due to Metula's location directly across the border from Lebanon, it has often been targeted by Hezbollah and has been a focal point since the onset of the conflict last year, leading to the evacuation of many settlements in the region. (Related: Hezbollah has already KILLED over 70 Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.) Among the casualties in Metula was an Israeli citizen, while the others were foreign workers who were reportedly tending to an apple orchard at the time of the strikes. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that alerts were triggered in the settlement at around 11:47 a.m., detecting two rockets that crossed the border from Lebanon and landed in open areas. Metula Mayor David Azoulay expressed frustration with the Israeli government, criticizing it for "normalizing the situation." This sentiment reflects a broader dissatisfaction among local officials in northern Israel who have repeatedly condemned the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for its failure to protect northern settlements from attacks. In addition to the strikes in Metula, two people were killed in Krayot, a cluster of neighborhoods in the northern tip of Haifa, after numerous rockets impacted the area. The Karmiel settlement also experienced rocket fire, with Hezbollah’s military media announcing that “large barrages” were directed at both Krayot and Karmiel. The group also claimed to have conducted operations targeting Israeli army sites along the border, including ambushes against ground troops in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah continues to repel Israeli forces from southern Lebanon

Intense clashes have been reported between Hezbollah forces and the Israeli army in border regions. An Al Mayadeen correspondent noted that Hezbollah was engaged in close-quarter battles with Israeli forces around the major southern town of Khiam. The report indicated that Israeli forces suffered casualties and retreated after failing to secure their objectives. Hezbollah claimed to have targeted multiple troop concentrations in the Wata al-Khiam area, indicating that its fighters were effectively preventing the use of vehicles by Israeli forces due to the threat of anti-tank missiles. Since Israeli troops reentered southern Lebanon on Oct. 2, dozens of soldiers have reportedly been killed, with Hezbollah asserting that it has killed at least 70 soldiers and injured over 500 more. Hezbollah's Operations Room reported that the Israeli army has failed to fully control or occupy any border villages. Despite these challenges, Israeli military sources have suggested that operations against Hezbollah infrastructure are complete and that the focus may now shift to diplomatic efforts. Reports from Israel's national broadcaster Kan indicate that the IDF's Northern Command believes it has effectively dismantled Hezbollah's capabilities along the border. In light of these developments, IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi mentioned that operations in the north might soon reach a decisive conclusion. However, Hezbollah's new leader, Naim Qassem, challenged these claims during his inaugural speech, questioning Israel's ability to achieve its goals. "We say to Israel, are you already done? Don’t you want to reach the Litani [River] or at least go a little deeper into [south] Lebanon? You haven’t even managed to gain a single victory," he stated. Watch this clip of an Israeli Hermes 900 combat drone being struck down by Hezbollah. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.

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