Israel’s Response to Attacks
He noted that Israel responded to attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon. The US Secretary of State stressed that they all have a strong interest in creating an environment where people can return to their homes safely and securely. “In southern Lebanon – because Israel responded to these attacks from Hezbollah – you have many people who had to leave their homes. This is well before the last few weeks; this is what happened over the last year. And we all have a strong interest in trying to help create an environment in which people can go back to their homes and live there safely and securely, and kids can go back to school,” he said.Diplomatic Efforts for Stability
Extending support to Israel’s actions against Hezbollah, Blinken stated, “Israel has a clear and very legitimate interest in doing that. The people of Lebanon want the same thing. We believe that the best way to get there is through a diplomatic understanding, one that we’ve been working on for some time and one that we’re extremely focused on right now.”Escalating Conflict in Gaza
The conflict in Gaza started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. About 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages. Following the October 7 attack, Israel launched a counter-offensive against Hamas, vowing to eliminate the entire terror group while making efforts to minimise civilian casualties.Right to Self-Defence
Blinken stressed that Israel has a right to defend itself against terror attacks coming from Hezbollah and Hamas. He called it “important” that Israel while acting against Hezbollah and Hamas, ensures that civilians are protected and not caught in a terrible crossfire. “Israel has a right to defend itself against terror attacks coming from Hezbollah, from Hamas, from anyone else. But it’s also vitally important that in doing that, they focus on making sure that civilians are protected and, again, are not being caught in a terrible crossfire. So, that’s another area of concern,” he said.IDF Strikes Against Hezbollah
On October 9, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) struck two key Hezbollah sites in Beirut’s Dahieh district. The precision strikes hit the terrorist group’s intelligence headquarters and a major weapons manufacturing facility. Sharing a post on X, the IDF said, “Take a look at how close a weapons production facility was next to civilian infrastructure in the Dahieh area.” “Overnight, we conducted a precise, targeted strike on this facility as well as a Hezbollah intelligence headquarters in the area. This is why we must operate in the Dahieh area,” the post added. The IDF further stated that Hezbollah deliberately embedded its weapons storage facilities beneath residential buildings, schools, mosques, and universities, endangering the civilian population in the area. Israel said it warned nearby residents to evacuate. Meanwhile, the Israel Foreign Ministry noted that the weapons production facility in the Dahieh region was located next to civilian infrastructure. In a post on X, it wrote, “Hezbollah in one picture. A weapons production facility next to civilian infrastructure in the Dahieh area.” It added, “Overnight, the IDF conducted a precise, targeted strike on this facility as well as a Hezbollah intelligence headquarters in the area.”
(With ANI inputs)
