Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued strong threats against Lebanon, vowing that Beirut's southern suburb (Dahiyeh) would suffer a fate similar to the destruction inflicted upon the city of Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip. These statements came during a field tour conducted by the minister to settlements near the northern border, where he affirmed that the army's strategy has fundamentally changed recently.
Smotrich indicated in his speech that the Israeli army has moved from the phase of evacuating Israeli settlements, which began two years ago, to issuing evacuation orders for Lebanese residents in Dahiyeh and southern Lebanon. He considered that the evacuation notices, which included the areas of Burj al-Barajneh, Haret Hreik, and Chiyah, are a prelude to turning those areas into rubble, in a clear reference to a policy of comprehensive destruction.
In an escalating context, the Israeli minister claimed that Hezbollah had made a strategic mistake that would cost it dearly, emphasizing that military operations target what he described as the 'head of the octopus' in Iran while simultaneously cutting off its arms in the region. He added in a video clip published on his official accounts, addressing the Lebanese: 'You wanted to bring hell to us, so you brought it upon yourselves.'
On the ground, these threats coincided with the occupation army issuing immediate evacuation orders for residents of Dahiyeh and three towns in the Beqaa region of eastern Lebanon, causing widespread panic and displacement. Hebrew reports indicated that the military command issued instructions to deepen the 'control line' along the Lebanese border, signaling the occupation's intention to remain for longer periods within Lebanese territory.
Israeli media quoted security sources confirming that military operations in Lebanon are expanding and becoming more complex, as the army has reinforced its presence at 10 strategic points deep inside Lebanese territory. These moves come as part of an attempt to impose a new reality on the ground that ensures strict security control over border areas and prevents any future threats.
On the diplomatic front, the Lebanese presidency moved urgently to confront the escalating Israeli threats, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asking his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for immediate intervention. Aoun stressed the need for international pressure on Israel to prevent the targeting of the densely populated Dahiyeh, warning of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.
Informed sources believe that Israel relies heavily on 'forced displacement' as a political and military pressure tool on both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. This policy aims to create a state of social chaos and undermine the environment supporting the resistance, by forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians into displacement under harsh conditions.
Field sources reported that the current Israeli approach is characterized by a clear retaliatory logic against civilian populations, with infrastructure and residential areas being systematically destroyed. Observers fear that Israel may proceed to destroy thousands of housing units in Dahiyeh, repeating scenarios it carried out in Gaza Strip cities in recent months.
Sources also pointed out that the occupation seeks to change the geographical reality on the ground, as the number of Israeli military strongholds inside Lebanese territory has doubled from 5 to 10 in a short period. This expansion reflects an Israeli desire to turn southern Lebanon into a buffer zone subject to direct fire and field control.
Israel exploits international cover to launch its violent raids under the pretext of targeting military headquarters, while facts confirm that the shelling affects vital residential and commercial areas. This escalation has led to the displacement of nearly one million Lebanese citizens to the streets and shelters, placing the Lebanese state before unprecedented humanitarian and economic challenges.
In conclusion, Israeli threats to turn Dahiyeh into a 'second Khan Yunis' remain a dangerous indicator of the occupation's intention to expand the scope of an all-out war. With continued military buildup on the border, the Lebanese scene remains open to all possibilities, in the absence of any diplomatic horizon to stop the Israeli destruction machine.
Hezbollah made a mistake and will pay a heavy price... You wanted to bring hell to us, so you brought it upon yourselves.
شارك برأيك
Smotrich threatens Dahiyeh with Khan Yunis' fate, and the occupation expands its operations in southern Lebanon