What happened
Israel and Hezbollah exchanged their heaviest fire in years yesterday as Israeli fighter jets struck thousands of missile launchers in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah sent hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel. The intense cross-border skirmish was a "dramatic but contained escalation that stopped short of all-out war," The Washington Post said.
Who said what
Hezbollah's attack was a "preliminary response" to Israel's July 30 assassination of top commander Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday in a televised address. The group could strike Israel again if it determines the damage "was not satisfactory," but "for now we consider the response over." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the preemptive airstrikes were "not the final word," though an Israeli military spokesperson said almost all Hezbollah rockets and drones were shot down and the attack did "very little damage."
Three Hezbollah-aligned fighters were killed in Lebanon during Israel's attack and one Israeli Navy officer died. But the "heavy firepower and lack of civilian casualties might allow both sides to claim a sort of victory and step back" from a "long-feared war," The Associated Press said. Hezbollah wants "to say that we've registered a response," Mohanad Hage Ali, a Beirut-based fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, said to The New York Times, "and now move on from this phase of anticipation of a wider escalation."
What next?
Hezbollah "has said it will halt its attacks along the border if there is a cease-fire in Gaza," the AP said. But Israel and Hamas left another round of Gaza peace talks in Cairo yesterday with no agreement.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Disney bets big on AI but not everyone sees a winnerTalking Points The company will allow users to create their own AI content on Disney+
-
The Beast in Me: a ‘gleefully horrible story’The Week Recommends Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys star in a ‘gleefully horrible story’
-
Comey grand jury never saw final indictmentSpeed Read This ‘drove home just how slapdash’ the case is, said The New York Times
-
Comey grand jury never saw final indictment
Speed Read This ‘drove home just how slapdash’ the case is, said The New York Times
-
Summers out at Harvard, OpenAI amid Epstein furorSpeed Read Summers was part of a group being investigated by Harvard for Epstein ties
-
Trump ordered to fully fund SNAPSpeed Read The Justice Department is appealing the decision
-
Judge issues injunction on DHS use of forceSpeed Read Agents can only use force under the ‘immediate threat of physical harm’
-
France targets Shein over weapons, sex dollsSpeed Read Shein was given 48 hours to scrub the items from their website
-
Trump tariffs face stiff scrutiny at Supreme CourtSpeed Read Even some of the Court’s conservative justices appeared skeptical
-
FAA to cut air travel as record shutdown rolls onSpeed Read Up to 40 airports will be affected
-
Democrats sweep top races in off-year electionSpeed Read A trio of nationally watched races went to the party
