Operation Iron Swords / Operation Arbaeen - 25 August 2024

Two versions, one Israeli and one from Hezbollah in Lebanon, were circulated regarding the escalation of the conflict that occurred on Sunday morning. The Israeli military's narrative focuses on carrying out a preemptive strike prior to Hezbollah's attack, which prevented a larger attack from occurring. The Israeli army confirmed that Hezbollah "was preparing to launch thousands of missiles," noting that "thousands of its missile launch pads" were destroyed in southern Lebanon.

Debunking Israeli claims of carrying out airstrikes that nipped Hezbollah's operation in the bud, the Lebanese Resistance leader Hassan Nasrallah affirmed that the enemy had no intel whatsoever, stressing that all its raids an hour before the operation were the result of the natural movement of the fighters on the ground in preparation for the operation. Sayyed Nasrallah further debunked Israeli claims that the Resistance’s intention was to target civilians, as he detailed the aforementioned guidelines the Resistance followed in choosing its targets, one of which is it not being civilian.

On Israeli claims that the military carried out preemptive strikes in Lebanon, Sayyed Hassan affirmed that "all the raids launched by the enemy did not target the area of operation" and that "this was nothing less than an aggression," before adding that supposedly it was a preemptive strike, "it did not have any impact whatsoever on today’s operation." In a related context, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the Resistance launched drones from the Bekaa for the first time, confirming that they successfully crossed the borders into occupied Palestine despite the long distance.

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement completed the first stage of its operation against Israel on Sunday 25 August 2024 in response to the assassination of one of the commanders of the movement's military wing, Fuad Shokr. The corresponding statement was published on the Hezbollah Telegram channel. It notes that the strikes on targets in Israel were carried out "at the appointed time and from all positions." "Our military operation is complete for today," it states.

The core of the Resistance's operation involved drones targeting a vital military site deep within the heart of the occupied territories. To strain the Israeli defense systems and the Iron Dome, over 320 rockets were fired. The attack covered a vast area of 1,500 km² in northern occupied Palestine, causing fires to engulf occupied al-Jalil. Hezbollah announced in its second statement that it launched 320 missiles in the first phase of the attack to facilitate the passage of the offensive drones towards their target.

Hezbollah stressed that Israel's claims about preemptive action and the disruption of the operation "do not correspond to reality." According to Al Mayadeen's sources, the Israeli claims of having thwarted an attack of over 1,000 missiles, including precision-guided missiles, are baseless. Despite being aided by American intelligence capabilities, the Israeli occupation was unable to prevent Hez-bol-lah from striking its intended targets.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said that the party targeted the Glilot base of the Israeli military intelligence, called the " Aman Division ," and other sites in response to the assassination of Shukr. Nasrallah explained that the party launched 340 Katyusha rockets and a number of drones at the targeted sites, and that the party chose its targets based on several criteria, including avoiding civilian sites and infrastructure, and that the target should be qualitative in the Israeli depth, and linked to the Shukr assassination operation.

Sayyed Nasrallah explained that the codename Operation Arbaeen was chosen deliberately as the world commemorates the Arbaeen of Imam Hussein. He specified that the operation was set to commence after the dawn prayer, after the Resistance fighters had everything set in place, precisely at 5:15 am. Concerning the delay in the response, he confirmed that the Resistance was prepared to take action from day one following the martyrdom of Commander Fouad Shokor. However, the delay was intentional, serving as part of the strategy for punishment. He stressed that the waiting period was also meant to allow the Resistance to assess whether the response would be coordinated across the Axis of Resistance or handled by each front individually and to make way for the negotiations, as the ultimate goal was to halt the aggression on Gaza.

Sayyed Nasrallah explained that the operation entailed two phases. The initial phase was focused on targeting sites and barracks in northern occupied Palestine with the hundreds of intended rockets to exhaust and deplete the Iron Dome and interceptor missiles, which paved the way for phase two, which saw the swarms of drones heading toward their intended targets. Regarding the guidelines set by the Resistance for selecting the said targets, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that they had to be military, not civilian, directly related to the assassination of the martyred leader, and located deep inside the occupied territory and close to Tel Aviv.

The Lebanese Resistance leader explained, "Our initial plan was to launch 300 rockets in this operation, but we ended up launching 340," affirming that the enemy "did not thwart anything." "What was planned was achieved to the fullest," Sayyed Nasrallah asserted.

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that "the enemy's claims about bombing strategic and precise missiles that were prepared to target Tel Aviv are sheer lies," stressing that the Resistance, with a clear and precise strategy, had no intention of using such weapons in this particular operation. Yet, this does not mean that the Resistance would not use them in the future, or the near future to be more precise, according to Sayyed Nasrallah. He further pointed out that the sites targeted by the occupation forces this morning on the outskirts of towns were either empty or had been evacuated at the request of martyr Fouad Shokor.

Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that the Resistance would monitor the outcome of the operation, especially amid the enemy's obscurement of the truth regarding the two targeted bases. "If the outcome is satisfactory and achieves the intended goal, we will consider the retaliatory operation complete, but if the result is not sufficient [as per the Resistance's terms], we reserve the right to respond at a time of our choosing," he maintained.

Hezbollah's Secretary-General concluded that the Resistance will remain steadfast in its support for Gaza, its people, Palestine, and the nation’s sanctities, regardless of the circumstances, challenges, or sacrifices, noting that today's operation “may benefit the Palestinian side or the Arab side in terms of negotiations." He emphasized that “the message to the enemy and the Americans behind it is that any hopes of silencing the support fronts are futile, no matter the sacrifices, particularly on the Lebanese front.” The Second Statement read: “First, the first stage was completed with complete success, which is the stage of targeting Israeli barracks and sites to facilitate the passage of the offensive marches towards their desired target deep inside the entity, and the marches, thank God, passed as planned. Second, the number of Katyusha rockets launched so far exceeded 320 rockets towards the enemy’s sites.

Third, the sites that were targeted and hit:

1. Meron base
2. Naveh Ziv barracks
3. Za’tun base
4. Za’oura barracks
5. Al-Sahl base
6. Kela barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan
7. UF barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan
8. Nafah base in the occupied Syrian Golan
9. Yarden base in the occupied Syrian Golan
10. Ein Zei Tim base
11. Ramot Naftali barracks

Fourth, the rest of the details about the military operation will come in later statements.”

Hezbollah indicated that it targeted the Glilot base, which is the main base of the Israeli Military Intelligence Division "Aman", and is located on the northern outskirts of Tel Aviv and is 110 kilometers from the Lebanese border. The base includes the main headquarters of Unit 8200, which is responsible for signals and cyber intelligence, as well as the Military Intelligence School and a group of military leadership colleges, in addition to the communications battalion of the Military Intelligence Division.

Hezbollah also targeted the Ein Shemer base, which is a multi-layered air defense missile base, containing the Arrow , David's Sling , and Iron Dome systems. According to Hezbollah, the base is located east of the occupied city of Hadera, 72 kilometers from the Lebanese border, and includes the headquarters of the regional "Menashe" Brigade, as well as an airport for testing drones.

Hezbollah announced in its First Statement the start of the attack on Israel, in response to the assassination of one of its most prominent leaders, Fouad Shukr, in an air strike on a special Israeli military target. Hezbollah said in its statement: “At dawn on Sunday, August 25, 2024, and within the framework of the initial response to the brutal Zionist aggression on the southern suburb of Beirut, which led to the martyrdom of the great jihadist leader Sayyed Fouad Shukr, may God have mercy on him, and a number of our honorable people, women and children, the Islamic Resistance fighters launched an air attack with a large number of drones towards the Zionist depth and towards a qualitative Israeli military target that will be announced later, and in conjunction with the Islamic Resistance fighters targeting a number of enemy sites and barracks and Iron Dome platforms in northern occupied Palestine with a large number of missiles.”

The statement added: "These military operations will take some time to complete, after which a detailed statement will be issued about their course and objectives." Hezbollah concluded its statement by stressing that "the Islamic resistance in Lebanon is now at the highest level of readiness and will stand firmly and vigilantly against any Zionist transgression or aggression, especially if civilians are harmed, as the punishment will be severe and very harsh."

As Tehran's response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on its soil dragged on , Iranians woke up Sunday morning to the news that the Lebanese Hezbollah had carried out a large-scale attack on the Israeli side. The news quickly spread and moved to the million-man marches marking the 20th of Safar, with participants chanting against the "Zionist entity." While participants in the annual marches praised the Lebanese resistance’s bombing of “a qualitative target deep inside the occupied territories,” speakers and organizers of the religious processions extending from Imam Hussein Square in eastern Tehran to the threshold of Shah Abdul Azim al-Hasani in the south were quick to issue calls reassuring the participants that there is no truth to the rumors about the occupation entity thwarting the resistance’s attack by launching preemptive strikes. observers in Iran agree that the Israeli operation was the result of the confusion resulting from the prolongation of Iran's and the resistance's response to the recent assassinations.

Political researcher Jalal Jaraghi read the Israeli talk about carrying out a preemptive operation despite 320 rockets and dozens of drones exceeding the airspace of occupied Palestine in the context of the confusion and chaos that Tel Aviv has been experiencing for 25 days, adding that "admitting Hezbollah's success in launching hundreds of drones and missiles means another intelligence failure for the Zionist entity." Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, he said that Hezbollah had indeed succeeded in deceiving the Israeli intelligence services, through camouflage and misleading the Israeli air force, and then confusing its air defenses with dozens of missiles, in order to open the airspace for the drones to reach the strategic targets that it had planned.

Pointing out that Hezbollah's attack came at a time when all Israeli military units were at a high state of readiness, Jaraghi believed that the qualitative target that Hezbollah was talking about targeting might pave the way for more retaliatory operations, and facilitate the capture of larger targets deep inside the Israeli side. The Iranian researcher believed that Hezbollah deliberately mentioned that the operation at dawn on Sunday was only the first stage in a series of operations in response to the assassination of Fouad Shukr, in order to keep the Israeli home front tense.

Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), said that the Palestinian resistance "blesses Hezbollah's initial response to the assassination of Commander Fouad Shukr and appreciates the sacrifices of our people in Lebanon." Abu Obeida added in his speech that Hezbollah's operation "confirms once again the change in the strategic reality of the entity since the Al-Aqsa Flood," stressing that "all fronts will remain burning and escalating in the face of the enemy if the aggression against our people and our people continues, and that the enemy has no safety from punishment and there are no limits to the possibility of crushing it anywhere and from any front."

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has praised Hezbollah for “succeeding to launch courageous and bold attacks” on Israel “that confirm its adherence to its stated positions and its fulfillment of its promises”. “These attacks have confirmed that the enemy only understands the language of power and cannot be deterred except by the resistance and its fighters,” the PIJ said in a statement on its Telegram channel.

The Houthis have congratulated Hezbollah’s leaders for the “major” attacks on Israeli positions. “This powerful and effective response deep within the entity that remains vulnerable reaffirms that the resistance is capable, steadfast, and sincere in its promises and threats,” the Houthis’ political bureau said in a statement. “We stand by the hands and shoulders of the heroes of the Islamic resistance, congratulate and support all options and retaliatory operations against the Zionist enemy. “We also reaffirm that the Yemeni response is inevitably coming, and the coming days and nights and the battlefield will prove this.”

Te IDF reported that approximately 100 IAF fighter jets, directed by IDF intelligence, struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon. Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel, and more than 40 launch areas in Lebanon were struck during the strikes. The Israeli army press service reported that fighter jets attacked Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon in connection with preparations for a missile strike on Israeli territory. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant declared a state of emergency in the country for 48 hours. Later, more than 320 missiles were fired from Lebanon toward Israel. Israeli media promoted Israel's launch of a preemptive attack with the participation of about 100 warplanes on more than 200 targets in southern Lebanon and the thwarting of the "threat before launching the large-scale attack".

Israeli Army Radio quoted Israeli security officials as giving some details of the preemptive strike that Israel launched on southern Lebanon. According to officials, Hezbollah planned to launch an attack with hundreds of rockets and missiles toward central Israel at 5 a.m. today. About half an hour earlier, at around 4:30 p.m., the Israeli Air Force, using some 100 fighter jets, launched a preemptive strike that "thwarted the threat within minutes and prevented a large-scale attack on the country's territory." Officials added that more than 200 targets were attacked in a short time in southern Lebanon.

Media outlets quoted an Israeli official as saying that "a major attack on strategic facilities in the center of the country was thwarted," and that "the continued escalation is related to Hezbollah." Earlier, the New York Times reported, citing a Western intelligence official, that the Israeli preemptive attack targeted missile launch pads in Lebanon that were scheduled to be launched at 5 a.m. toward Tel Aviv. The official added that "all the targeted platforms were destroyed" and that Israel expects "a harsh response from Hezbollah."

"We are carrying out attacks in Lebanon to remove Hezbollah threats after it was identified preparing to fire rockets and missiles at Israeli territory," the Israeli military said in a statement. "Air Force warplanes, under the direction of the Northern Command and Military Intelligence, are attacking Hezbollah targets that pose an immediate threat to the Israeli home front," the statement added. The Israeli military addressed residents of southern Lebanon, urging "all those in the vicinity of areas where Hezbollah is active to leave immediately to protect themselves and their families." The Israeli military added that it "will do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens of Israel."

In a video message via the X platform, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that "fighters are currently attacking Hezbollah targets." The Israeli cabinet is meeting at 7 a.m., and reports say that Netanyahu and Galant approved the attacks in Lebanon during the night hours when they met with security chiefs at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Kirya, Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu remarked at the start of the Government meeting, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv: "What happened today is not the end of the story.... Nasrallah in Beirut and Khamenei in Tehran need to know that this is an additional step in changing the situation in the north, and returning our residents securely to their homes. And I reiterate – this is not the end of the story."

Netanyahu remarked at the start of the Security Cabinet meeting, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv "This morning, we identified Hezbollah preparations to attack Israel. In consensus with the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief-of-Staff, we directed the IDF initiate action to eliminate the threat. Since then, the IDF has been taking strong action to foil the threats. It has eliminated thousands of rockets that were aimed at northern Israel. It is thwarting many other threats and is taking very strong action – both defensively and offensively. Citizens of Israel, I request that you adhere to the directives from IDF Home Front Command. We are determined to do everything to defend our country, to return the residents of the north securely to their homes and to continue upholding a simple rule: Whoever harms us – we will harm them."

The Israeli Prime Minister said: "The army was able to intercept all the drones launched by Hezbollah at a strategic target in central Israel. The army intercepted all the drones launched by Hezbollah for a strategic purpose in the center of the country." The series of Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted the Iqlim al-Tuffah region and the outskirts of the towns of Ain Qana, Kfar Fila, al-Luwaizeh, Basalia, and forested areas in the towns of Kounine, Beit Yahoun, Hadatha, Rshaf, al-Tayri and the outskirts of the town of Haris, and other villages in Lebanon. Israeli artillery shelling targeted the area of ??Al-Dees, Wadi Al-Hayr, Hama Rashaya Al-Fakhar, the outskirts of Halta, Kfar Hamam, Kfar Shouba, Kfar Kela, Naqoura, and Alma Al-Shaab, and that there was intensive flying of Israeli warplanes in the skies of the city of Nabatieh. Two Israeli air raids targeted the outskirts of the towns of Bani Hayyan and Talousa in southern Lebanon. A series of new Israeli raids that included the towns of Zawtar Al-Sharqiya, Beit Yahoun, Kfar Melki, Wadi Barghoz, the course of the Litani River, and Al-Shaitiya.

The Israeli army spokesman stressed during his interview with Alhurra that "operations are ongoing" against the Lebanese Hezbollah, as "preemptive strikes are being carried out to prevent any attacks." Adraee said: "The Israeli army is closely monitoring things and detecting any movements, and therefore directing preemptive strikes to prevent any attacks, as happened today when we were able to thwart most of the terrorist plan." He pointed out that the problem "does not lie only in the huge arsenal that Hezbollah possesses, which is estimated at about 150 thousand missiles," adding: "The issue relates to the necessity of the Lebanese government dealing with that party that poses a danger to its people," accusing that group of "establishing warehouses and weapons stores in residential areas."

The announcement by the Lebanese Hezbollah party on Sunday that what it called the “first phase” of its attack on Israel had ended raises questions about whether this attack, which has been expected for weeks as a “response” to the killing of its military leader, Fouad Shukr, may continue or develop into a wider war, or whether it is merely an attempt to “save face” that it is content with, especially with the renewal of international and regional calls to stop the escalation of the conflict.

What was stated in the group’s statement regarding the “first phase” “does not mean that it will attempt to carry out new, large-scale attacks on Israel.” "When Hezbollah talks about 'phase one,' it aims to keep things vague about the next steps, allowing it to take additional actions in the future, but that doesn't necessarily mean it intends to implement those steps," Israeli political analyst Yoav Stern said. He added to Alhurra that Hezbollah "is saying this now, and it does not necessarily mean that there will be a second phase later," noting during his speech that Hezbollah "ignored the truth of what actually happened, as Israel thwarted the attack through a preemptive strike."

Lebanese political analyst Fares Saeed agreed with this view, telling Alhurra that Hezbollah is “promoting the attack for political propaganda” among its supporters. He added: "What the party wants to say is that it responded to the killing of Fouad Shukr. But in reality, what it did was 'raise the bar' and showed that it is unable to carry out its threats." Saeed expected that "Hezbollah will be satisfied with what it did," noting that "the international community and world public opinion realize the reality of Israel's military superiority over Hezbollah, which may have found itself forced to respond alone to Shukr's killing, after Iran abandoned it at this stage." The Lebanese political analyst considered that what Hezbollah did "is not entirely proportionate to the killing of a prominent military leader," saying: "There is no comparison between the killing of a prominent leader in the party and a limited response through a group of shells that were targeted even before they were launched."

experts ruled out in their statements to Alhurra that “the attacks would lead to a wider conflict or a comprehensive conventional war,” as Saeed said that “the military situation in the coming hours or days will not develop beyond the rules of engagement known for months.” The Lebanese political analyst added: "It is completely unlikely that a conventional war will break out in southern Lebanon," noting that "the United States naturally rejects the outbreak of a regional war, even though Iran is seeking it through its agents."

Israeli political analyst Yoav Stern considered that "Iran was aware of what was happening and what was expected, and it seems that this response came in coordination with it and with its approval, which indicates that it preferred a limited response from Hezbollah, even if it failed."