Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was prepared for any scenario after a cross-border clash with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, but neither side seemed eager for another conflict, Reuters reports.
Israel’s military said anti-tank missiles from Lebanon targeted an army base and vehicles. It responded with fire into southern Lebanon, after a week of growing tension raised fears of a new war with long-time enemy Hezbollah.
PM Netanyahu on #Hezbollah attack earlier today:
We were attacked with several anti-tank missiles. We responded with 100 shells and firing from the air by various means. We have no casualties.
We will decide on the next steps pending developments.pic.twitter.com/V0wkAZaoQZ
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 1, 2019
The Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said its fighters destroyed an Israeli military vehicle, killing and wounding those inside. Israel said there were no casualties.
Netanyahu, whose re-election campaign ahead of a poll less than three weeks away could have been complicated by the war in the north, signaled business as usual after the hostilities erupted along the frontier with Lebanon.
The Israeli leader kept to his regular schedule, commenting on the security situation, in Hebrew only, at the start of a meeting with Honduras’ visiting president, and did not take questions from reporters.
.@netanyahu says Israel 'prepared for any situation' amid cross-border skirmish with Hezbollahhttps://t.co/AuslygO3J5
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) September 1, 2019
Netanyahu said:
“We were attacked by a few anti-tank missiles. We responded with 100 shells, aerial fire and various measures. We are in consultations about what’s to come.”
“I have given instructions to be prepared for any scenario, and we will decide on what’s next depending on how things develop,” he said, almost dismissively, in a departure from his usually much tougher language towards Israel’s enemies.
“I can make an important announcement – we have no casualties, no wounded, not even a scratch.”
Netanyahu says Israel ready for any scenario after Hezbollah clash https://t.co/eORvxUjx0Z pic.twitter.com/d244uEUzpE
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 1, 2019
The U.N. peacekeeping force on the frontier said calm had returned to the region at night. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) also said it had urged both sides to “exercise utmost restraint to prevent any further escalation.”
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
