WHAT IS SYRIA’S POSITION?
Syria desires to take again the Golan Heights.
Within the Nineteen Nineties, it periodically engaged in negotiations below which Israel would return half or all of its Golan holdings in return for a peace treaty with Syria. Such talks got here to a halt with the Arab uprisings of 2011 that led to a bloody civil conflict in Syria.
Israel and Syria stay formally in a state of conflict, though a ceasefire line has been comparatively calm over the many years.
HOW BAD COULD IT GET?
The current strike in Golan Heights has sparked considerations that the months of cross-border hostilities may spiral right into a broader, extra harmful conflict.
“Our response will come and it is going to be extreme,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned within the wake of the assault.
Already, an Israeli drone strike on Jul 29 killed two Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon in addition to three different folks together with an toddler, sources mentioned. They have been the primary fatalities in Lebanon for the reason that Golan Heights incident.
The Israeli army mentioned its air defences downed a drone that crossed from Lebanon into the Western Galilee space on Jul 29.
Previous wars have inflicted heavy injury.
In 2006, Israeli strikes levelled giant areas of Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs, knocked out Beirut airport, in addition to hit roads, bridges and different infrastructure. Practically 1 million folks in Lebanon fled their houses.
In Israel, the impression included 300,000 folks fleeing their houses to flee Hezbollah rockets and a few 2,000 houses destroyed.
Hezbollah now has a far larger arsenal than in 2006, together with rockets it says can hit all elements of Israel.
HOW HAVE MAJOR PARTIES RESPONDED?
Lebanese Overseas Minister Abdallah Bou Habib mentioned a flurry of diplomatic exercise has sought to comprise the anticipated Israeli response.
“Israel will escalate in a restricted approach and Hezbollah will reply in a restricted approach … These are the assurances we have obtained,” Bou Habib mentioned in an interview with native broadcaster Al-Jadeed.
A number of analysts instructed AFP that this was prone to be the case, with Israel cautious of getting to struggle wars on two fronts.
Whereas Washington has additionally blamed Hezbollah for the rocket strike and defended Israel’s proper to reply, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a cellphone name with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday, emphasised the significance of preventing an escalation of the conflict.
White Home Nationwide Safety Council spokesman John Kirby mentioned he was “assured” a broader conflict may very well be prevented.
He additionally mentioned the Golan incident shouldn’t have an effect on ongoing negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire and the discharge of hostages held by Hamas.
The UN peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon mentioned it had intensified contacts with Israel and Lebanese authorities to dial down tensions.
“No one desires to begin a wider battle, however a miscalculation may set off one. There’s nonetheless area for a diplomatic resolution,” spokesperson Andrea Tenenti mentioned.
