Yoav Gallant, Israel's Defense Minister, has announced a strategic shift in the ongoing conflict, declaring a "new phase" that focuses on the northern front against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. This development comes nearly a year after the initial Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked the Israel-Hamas war.
The announcement follows two waves of explosive attacks that have recently hit Syria and Lebanon. On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, an apparent Israeli attack targeting pagers used by Hezbollah resulted in at least 12 fatalities and nearly 3,000 injuries. The following day, a series of explosions involving walkie-talkies and other electronic devices across Lebanon claimed at least 20 lives and left 450 others wounded.
"We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance."
In response to these attacks, the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council has vowed to deliver "special punishment" to Israel. This escalation of tensions occurs against the backdrop of daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah since the conflict's inception, bringing the two sides perilously close to full-scale war on multiple occasions.
The ongoing hostilities have forced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border to evacuate their homes. This 120-kilometer border has been a flashpoint since 1948, with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) maintaining a presence there since 1978.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 41,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza since the conflict began. The ministry's figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians but indicate that over half of the casualties were women and children. Israel claims to have neutralized over 17,000 militants, though this assertion lacks supporting evidence.
In a related development, Japanese electronics company Icom has addressed concerns about its walkie-talkies allegedly being used in the explosive attacks against Hezbollah. The company stated that the specific model in question, the IC-V82, was discontinued about a decade ago, along with its batteries. Icom executive Yoshiki Enomoto expressed surprise at the news and noted that the device lacked an anti-counterfeit hologram sticker, which is standard on all authentic Icom products.
Icom clarified that the IC-V82 was manufactured for export, including to the Middle East, from 2004 to October 2014. The company emphasized its strict adherence to export control rules set by the Japanese Trade Ministry and highlighted the rigorous security controls in place at its manufacturing facility in Wakayama, Japan.
As the conflict enters this new phase, the international community watches closely, hoping for a de-escalation of tensions in this volatile region. The situation underscores the complex web of historical, political, and military factors that continue to shape the dynamics of the Middle East.