Mourning women stand next to the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike, after a funeral in the village of Khiam, south Lebanon, Aug. 26, 2024. (Credit: Rabih Daher/AFP)
Hezbollah’s retaliation has been anticipated for weeks. The group’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah had promised a “strong” response to Israel’s assassination of Fouad Shukur, described as Hezbollah’s chief of staff, on July 30 in the densely populated southern suburb of Beirut — a Hezbollah stronghold.While the retaliation finally occurred on Sunday, it was not particularly “strong.” Dubbed “Operation of the 40th Day” after the commemoration of Ashura, it appeared to end in a serious setback for Hezbollah. The group likely did not intend to provoke a full-scale war with Israel, but between outright defeat and regional war, there was a third option: A well-calibrated show of strength.That, however, did not happen. Read also ‘Iran wants sanctions relief; the only way to get it is to make concessions’ Nasrallah claimed on Sunday...
Hezbollah’s retaliation has been anticipated for weeks. The group’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah had promised a “strong” response to Israel’s assassination of Fouad Shukur, described as Hezbollah’s chief of staff, on July 30 in the densely populated southern suburb of Beirut — a Hezbollah stronghold.While the retaliation finally occurred on Sunday, it was not particularly “strong.” Dubbed “Operation of the 40th Day” after the commemoration of Ashura, it appeared to end in a serious setback for Hezbollah. The group likely did not intend to provoke a full-scale war with Israel, but between outright defeat and regional war, there was a third option: A well-calibrated show of strength.That, however, did not happen. Read also ‘Iran wants sanctions relief; the only way to get it is to make concessions’ ...
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