Israel's Stark Warning: The Threat of Reducing Lebanon to the 'Stone Age' Amid Escalating Tensions
Amid heightened regional tensions and fears of potential escalation in the ongoing conflict with Gaza, Israel has issued a stern warning, asserting its capability to plunge Lebanon back into the 'Stone Age' should war erupt with the formidable Hezbollah militant group. This ominous statement, delivered by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after a multi-day visit to Washington, underscores the grave consequences that could unfold in the event of a full-fledged confrontation.
Emphasizing Israel's reluctance to engage in armed conflict, Gallant's words carried weighty caution: "The Hezbollah fully understands that we have the ability to inflict immense damage on Lebanon if war is ignited." He further elaborated, "We have the capability to bring Lebanon back to the Stone Age, but we do not wish to do so. We do not want war," and reassured that the Israeli government is "preparing for every scenario."
This chilling warning follows the United Nations' dire assessment, issued by the head of UN humanitarian affairs, Martin Griffiths, who cautioned from Geneva that the spread of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip to Lebanon would be "potentially apocalyptic." Griffiths emphasized the grave risks, stating, "I see this as the spark that could ignite a wider conflagration," and expressed concerns that a conflict involving Lebanon "would spread to Syria… and beyond," with far-reaching and unpredictable consequences.
The fragile situation escalated further in the night between Wednesday and Thursday, as witnesses reported bombardments in various sectors of the Gaza Strip. In Lebanon, five individuals were reportedly injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a building in Nabatieh, according to the official Lebanese news agency Ani.
Meanwhile, in Syria, two individuals were killed in an Israeli strike shortly before midnight, confirmed by the official Syrian news agency Sana, citing a military source. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the strike targeted a service center affiliated with the Lebanese Hezbollah and pro-Iranian groups near the capital, Damascus.
As tensions in the region continue to escalate, Israel's stark warning to Lebanon underscores the delicate balance of power and the potential for a broader regional conflagration. The international community watches with bated breath, hoping for de-escalation and a peaceful resolution to the longstanding conflicts that have plagued this volatile region for decades.
