Middle East powder keg threatens to explode after Beirut Hamas strike and Iran blast

Washington Examiner ^ | January 03, 2024 11:28 AM | by Mike Brest, Defense Reporter

[Red Badger]

Various world leaders and institutions have raised their concerns that the presumed Israeli strike in a suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, that killed a top Hamas leader could escalate and expand the conflicts in the region.

Deputy leader Saleh al Arouri — who was allegedly responsible for leading multiple attacks on Israel and had ushered in a closer relationship between Hamas and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon — was one of a handful of people killed in the Tuesday night strike.

His killing marked a possibly pivotal moment in the powder keg that is the Middle East. Israeli leaders have repeatedly said they would hunt down every Hamas leader responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks that left roughly 1,200 people dead, including those who do not reside within the Gaza Strip.

"We are deeply concerned at any potential for escalation that could have devastating consequences for people on both sides of the Blue Line," United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel told Lebanese state-run National News Agency on Wednesday.

Similarly, French President Emmanuel Macron told former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz that it was "essential to avoid any escalatory attitude, particularly in Lebanon," according to a readout of a call on Tuesday provided by French officials. Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told the BBC that government officials are urging Hezbollah not to respond to Arouri's killing.

Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in limited rocket fire and attacks in the northern part of Israel since the Oct. 7 attacks, though it's unclear whether Arouri's killing could be the event that escalates the tension into a more significant war. Israel has already evacuated tens of thousands of people who live in towns near the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, is set to speak on Wednesday to honor the anniversary of the U.S. assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian military leader who was killed in a U.S. strike in 2020, and it's unclear how he'll address the strike. He warned that "any assassination on Lebanese soil that targets a Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Iranian or others will certainly have a strong reaction."

David Daoud, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told the Washington Examiner that he expects Nasrallah to "make some vague threats." There could be a slight escalation in Hezbollah's attacks, but Daoud is confident the Hezbollah leader won't declare an all-out war against Israel.

"Will he declare war? I think that we can say for certain that he will not declare war. He will likely say either [Israel] will pay a heavy price, or maybe they have paid every price," he said. "He may exaggerate Israeli casualties as they've done in the past and just kind of close the file, or he may say that we can expect more of a response. ... I don't think we can expect anything too dramatic."

Thousands of people gathered to mourn the anniversary of Soleimani's death when at least 103 people were killed and more were injured in two blasts that struck Kerman. It's unclear who is responsible for the bombings.

The conflict began with Hamas's Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, the worst in Israel's history. Militants crossed the border from Gaza into Israel and slaughtered men, women, and children, some of whom showed signs of being tortured and burned beyond recognition. Israeli leaders said their goals are to remove Hamas from power in the Gaza Strip, demilitarize it, and deradicalize it against Israel, as outlined recently by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel's military campaign, which commenced in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, has resulted in overwhelming destruction and death in Gaza. More than 20,000 people have been killed in the roughly three months since, though it's unclear what percentage of them are militants and how many are civilians.

[Tell It Right]

Hezbollah threatening to attack Israel is about as routine as Bill’s trips to Epstein Island.

[V_TWIN]

“Middle East powder keg threatens to explode...”

Fine. BLOW IT UP....let’s get it the hell over with already.

I’m sick to death of the scare tactics of the media threatening the end of the world over and over.

[SunkenCiv]

• Israel said set to replace all Palestinian workers with tens of thousands of foreigners [01/03/2024]

[SunkenCiv]

Selections from the Beirut keyword, sorted:

• The Massacres and Crimes Committed by the Palestinians and the Syrians Against the Lebanese (1975 -- 90) [06/09/2021]
• Riot police fire tear gas at protesters as Lebanon's currency falls to new record low [03/14/2021]
• Beirut Protesters paralyze Lebanon amid political, economic crisis [03/08/2021]
• Iran-backed Hezbollah arms depot explodes in southern Lebanon ["technical error"] [09/22/2020]
• NYC Democratic Socialists blasted for quizzing City Council candidates over Israel [08/15/2020]
• Sorry: A progressive fascist's threat isn't going to silence me [08/15/2020]
• Blaming the Beirut Blast on Israel [08/12/2020]
• The Beirut Blast Is A Reminder That Hezbollah Has Ruined Lebanon [08/08/2020]
• Wednesday News Roundup: A False Beirut Explosion Narrative and the Portland Riots Explode Again [08/05/2020]
• Israel offers humanitarian aid to Lebanon after Beirut explosions kill dozens [08/04/2020]
• Meet the Other Major Terrorist Killed in Soleimani Drone Strike [Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis] [01/03/2020]
• How street protests across Middle East threaten Iran's power: The weakening of Shia dominance [11/25/2019]
• Mysterious death of former Hezbollah leader [09/08/2019]
• Al Arabiya: Beirut Explosion was a Hezbollah Weapons Depot [08/04/2020]
  • Netanyahu Warned Global Leaders -- 'Iranian terror weapons were being produced at Beirut warehouse'... [08/05/2020]

  ---

• Thousands of protesters mark two years since Beirut blast [08/04/2022]
• BREAKING: Judge probing Beirut blast calls for arrest of former finance minister Ali Hasan Khalil [12/10/2021]
• Details of Beirut clashes remain unclear as Lebanon marks protests anniversary [10/18/2021]
• FBI probe: Chemicals that caused Beirut blast only a fifth of original shipment [07/31/2021]
• Beirut port ablaze, weeks after massive blast [09/10/2020]
• Lebanon's army finds 4.35 tonnes more explosive chemicals near Beirut port [09/05/2020]
• A Hidden Tycoon, African Explosives, and a Loan from a Notorious Bank: Questionable Connections Surround Beirut Explosion Shipment [08/26/2020]
• Who owned the chemicals that blew up Beirut? No one will say [08/12/2020]
• Lebanon PM Hassan Diab resigns on live national TV [08/10/2020]
• Unseen footage shows moment of Beirut explosion in 4K slow motion_(?) [08/09/2020]
• Beirut explosion: footage shows massive blast shaking Lebanon's capital (Info on Blast) [08/08/2020]
• Ship Cited in Beirut Blast Hasn't Sailed in 7 Years. We Found It. (NY Times) [08/08/2020]
• Beirut port explosion mystery solved? UPDATES: 3 ships disappeared. [08/08/2020]
• Beirut explosion: former port worker says fireworks stored in hangar [08/07/2020]
• The Latest: President Says 2 Possible Causes in Beirut Blast [08/07/2020]
• How judges responded to warnings about ammonium nitrate stored at the Beirut port [08/07/2020]
• Sat images of Blast in Beirut. [08/06/2020]
• The moment firefighters tried to enter Beirut's Warehouse 12: Missing crew sent to tackle initial blaze are seen in tragic photo just before store of ammonium nitrate ignited in devastating blast that killed at least 137 [08/06/2020]
• Bangladesh Navy's BNS Bijoy corvette was damaged in Beirut Explosion [08/06/2020]
• Lebanon probes blast amid rising anger, calls for change [08/06/2020]
• 'Catastrophe' in Beirut: Death toll rises, 200,000 homeless as blast leaves city in disarray [08/05/2020]
• Orient Queen Sinks in Beirut, Two Crew Reported Dead [08/05/2020]
• Beirut blast: How does ammonium nitrate create such devastating explosions? [08/05/2020]
• Beirut blast heaps fresh crisis on city after years of devastation: How civil war, economic woes and now an explosion threatening food disruption heaps further woe on former 'Paris of the East' [08/05/2020]
• Beirut Blast: How Many Kilotons? [08/05/2020]
• At least 135 dead after Beirut explosions; 300,000 homeless [08/05/2020]
• Beirut blast: Confiscated ammonium nitrate from ship in 2014 could have sparked deadly explosion [pics] [08/05/2020]
• How Beirut was torn apart: Videos capture the moment that ceilings collapsed, families sheltered for cover, offices were destroyed and buildings were engulfed in flames during the explosion in Beirut [08/05/2020]
• Beirut explosion rocks Lebanon's capital city [08/05/2020]
• What Just Blew Up In Beirut? [08/05/2020]
• Lebanon: Massive explosion in Beirut, at least 50 dead, 1000s injured, Hizballah 'already in the limelight' [08/04/2020]
• 2,750 Tonnes Of Ammonium Nitrate Exploded: Lebanon PM On Beirut Blasts [08/04/2020]
• MASSIVE Explosion Shakes Lebanon's Capital Beirut [08/04/2020]
• Breaking -- Massive explosions rock Beirut... [08/04/2020]
• Massive explosion shakes Lebanon's capital Beirut [08/04/2020]
• GottaSeeThis - A huge explosion has occurred in Beirut [08/04/2020]

[Seruzawa]

Hezbollah leaders probably don’t want to end up like Eichmann and the Munich assassins.

[metmom]

*presumed* Israeli attack.

Wouldn’t surprise me at all to find muslims did it to find occasion to attack Israel again.

[Red Badger]

That thought had occurred to me............ 🤔

[Vaduz]

Yes false flag in action