Northern Israel remains a danger zone. The latest attacks from Hezbollah caused the death of a civilian this Friday, who was in the area to work with the Israel Defense Forces. According to Israeli media, the deceased is Sharif Suad, of Bedouin origin and resident of Sallama.
Sharif Suad, an Israeli civilian contracted by the IDF, was killed in the Hezbollah anti-tank missile attack in the Mount Dov area on the Lebanon border overnight. https://t.co/WprquNekhO pic.twitter.com/Cwx1v18uso
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 26, 2024
According to The Times of Israel, Suad was killed in an attack in which Hezbollah used anti-tank weapons. He worked in the surroundings of Mount Dov, improving the infrastructure for the defense of military positions in the region.
Following the attack, the IDF reported two attacks on Hezbollah facilities in southern Lebanon, including a weapons depot and a rocket launcher position, in addition to other facilities in Markaba, Kfarchouba and Ain al-Tineh.
Israeli fighter jets carried out strikes against buildings where Hezbollah operatives were gathered, in the southern Lebanon towns of Tayr Harfa and Ayta ash-Shab, the IDF says.
Tanks also shelled areas near Yarine and Dhayra to "remove threats," the military adds. pic.twitter.com/q1urEWNWOt
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 26, 2024
This is the ninth civilian victim in northern Israel since the beginning of the military campaign in Gaza. The region bordering the border with Lebanon was completely evacuated at the start of the war, and inhabitants are taking refuge in other parts of Israel. Along with the civilian victims, there are also 11 IDF members who died this April in another Hezbollah attack.
Security in northern Israel has posed a challenge for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. The high number of displaced people, which amounts to around 70,000, is very costly to the government, which is responsible for providing them shelter. This mass displacement also puts political pressure on the government, since these people hope to be able to return to their homes at some point.
However, armed activity at the northern border has not ceased. Exchanges of fire happen on a weekly basis, and in addition to attacks on Israeli soil, the IDF also carries out bombings and airstrikes on Lebanese territory targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.
There are just over five months left until the one year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, a date that will mean a lot in Israel from a political point of view. The pressure from the displaced could erode the government, which has been criticized by the families of the hostages left in the hands of Hamas.
