![shutterstock_2375512051 New Fighting Breaks Out as Hezbollah Seemingly Joins the War](https://watchdogreport.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/shutterstock_2375512051-696x464.jpg)
(WatchDogReport.org) – New fighting broke out along the Lebanon-Israel border on October 17, as skirmishes continued between members of Hezbollah and the Israeli military. In a statement, Israel’s Armed Forces said that anti-tank missiles were shot from Lebanon into Israel’s border town of Metula. The armed forces pointed out there were no casualties; however, three people were severely injured.
So far, no group in Lebanon has claimed responsibility for this attack. However, multiple reports suggest that the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah could be behind it. Hezbollah has always been one of the leading supporters of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and has previously declared it wants to eliminate Israel. The group has been operating in Lebanon over the last few years, after achieving electoral victories in the nation.
Some media outlets reported that while it remained unclear if the people who were injured in this attack were soldiers or civilians, Israeli authorities had ordered civilians to evacuate this area a day before the missile attack. A couple of hours after this strike on Metula, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) neutralized four individuals carrying explosive vests at the border with Lebanon.
The Jewish state and Iran-backed Hezbollah have clashed near the border over the last few years. While Israel has blocked most offensive and terrorist operations from this group in its territory, many fear that Hezbollah could join forces with Hamas in its war against the Jewish state.
Political analysts such as Ian Bremmer believe this hypothetical situation could spark a massive conflict in the Middle East where other nations would be forced to intervene, raising the possibility of a third World War.
On October 15, the IDF said in a statement that nine rockets were shot from Lebanon into Israel, but the country’s air defenses managed to intercept five of them. The IDF also said that the Jewish state would destroy the launch site in response to this attack.
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