In Kfar Roummane, near the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh, a building was heavily damaged on Sept. 14, 2024, by an Israeli strike during the night. (Credit: Mahmoud Zayyat /AFP)
While exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah continued at a moderate intensity on the southern border Saturday, Hezbollah's number two, Sheikh Naim Qassem, delivered a speech in Hadath mocking Israeli optimism about the success of its announced plan to expand operations on this front.
He claimed that Israel was mistaken in thinking that extending the war into Lebanon would guarantee the return of residents who have fled the northern part of the territory since the start of the exchanges, which began following the onset of the Gaza war. “If they think the war will bring back the settlers, they should prepare to house hundreds of thousands of them,” said Qassem during a ceremony at the Imam al-Moujtaba mosque honoring a Hezbollah fighter killed this week by the Israeli army.
The possibility of expanding the war remains on the agenda of Israeli government meetings and continues to divide its members, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly postponing the decision. According to the Israeli news site Ynet, Netanyahu may present a proposal to the security cabinet on Sunday aiming to make the return of northern residents to their homes an official war objective.
“We do not intend to start a war, but our response will escalate if Israel expands its aggression,” Qassem added.
Questioning Israeli Response
Sheikh Naim Qassem questioned why Israel had not sent media or government officials to the two bases allegedly targeted by Hezbollah to refute the group's claims. He also raised doubts about the timing of the resignation of the head of Israel’s elite military intelligence unit, announced on Thursday. “Why did the head of Unit 8200 announce his resignation now and not earlier, especially since it is related to the events of Oct. 7?” Qassem asked.
These questions refer to the damage Hezbollah claims to have inflicted on Aug. 25 in retaliation for the Israeli airstrike on July 30 that killed one of its military commanders, Fouad Shukur, in southern Beirut. Two days ago, Al Mayadeen, citing European sources, reported that the attack resulted in 22 deaths and 74 injuries among members of Unit 8200. “Al Mayadeen’s report on the successful attack on the "Galilut" and "Ain Shimer" bases is accurate and reliable,” Qassem asserted.
Dozen Operations and One Death
As Israel and Hezbollah continued their exchanges of fire, the party reported carrying out nine operations shortly before 6 p.m. throughout the day.
In the early hours of Saturday, Hezbollah claimed it had conducted additional attacks in response to the Israeli strike on Ahmadiyeh, in the Hasbaya district, on Friday, which resulted in one death and seven injuries, including four children. According to the statement, Hezbollah's response targeted the “reserve headquarters of the Northern Brigade and the deployment base of the Galilee Brigade, including its logistical warehouses,” using dozens of Katyusha rockets. The statement also claimed that a Merkava tank was hit with a guided missile on the road between Roueissat al-Alam and Zebdine in the contested Kfar Shuba hills.
The Israeli army, cited by Haaretz, said that sirens in the Galilee region on Saturday morning were triggered by approximately 55 rockets fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory. It added that some rockets were intercepted, while others landed in open areas, with no reported casualties.
According to our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah, who gathered information from security sources and residents in South Lebanon, Israel conducted several strikes overnight and throughout Saturday. Targets included the western district of Mays al-Jabal and Blida in the Marjayoun district, Khallet Warda in Aita al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil district, and the Kfarchouba hills in the Hasbaya district. Late Friday, Israeli warplanes bombed a three-story building in Kfar Roummane, Nabatiyeh district, completely destroying it. Residents reported that the building was empty at the time of the attack. An ambulance belonging to the al-Risala Scouts Association, affiliated with the Amal movement, was damaged while parked near the targeted building. The Public Health Ministry’s emergency operations center reported thirteen injuries from the airstrike.
Hezbollah also announced the death of another fighter, Abbas Hamadeh, from Qmatiyeh, Aley, born in 1990. According to our correspondent, Hamadeh was killed during the Israeli strike on Ahmadiyeh. This brings the total number of Hezbollah fighters or officials killed in Lebanon and Syria since Oct. 8 to 441.