In the night between 30 September and 1 October 2024 various units of Israeli armed forces (the exact number is not known but they are probably part of the special forces) would have carried out some land sorties in the southern part of the territory of Lebanondespite theUN and international diplomacy continue to try to reach a truce. As a consequence of this, in the last hour the USA has raised the alarm, stating that theIran would be preparing for a vast missile attack against Israel. It is aescalation of the conflict in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Hezbollaha political-military organization that informally governs southern Lebanon and whose leader, Nasrallahwas killed on Friday 27 September following an Israeli air raid on Beirut. Israel’s choice to cross the border with Lebanon, according to some sources, occurred for test the defenses of Hezbollah, but the news circulating is still fragmentary and in some cases contradictory. At the moment no major clashes were recorded and, indeed, according to the Lebanese authorities interviewed “the Israelis would not have actually crossed the border, or would have in any case gone back”.
The area that marks the separation band between Israel and Lebanon (delimited by the so-called “Blue Line”) has been one of the most contested borders in the world for decades and there has been no shortage of moments of friction which have also resulted in violent wars. After the so-called “Second Lebanon War” of 2006 the United Nations had approved the expansion of the peacekeeping force UNIFILactive in the area since 1978 and now led by Italy, in order to guarantee the permanence of the “ceasefire!”, but this has not eliminated the incidents, even if it has contributed greatly to their reduction.
The international situation and the role of Italy
In light of the worsening situation, calls for reaching a “ceasefire!” have multiplied. in the shortest time possible. The first line in this sense have expressed themselves Holy Seethrough the mouth of the pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francisand the Secretary General of United Nations, António Guterres.
The United States of America they held an ambivalent position, on the one hand asking on several occasions to avoid continuation of the fightingbut on the other hand constantly reaffirming their commitment to ensure Israel’s security even fielding two aircraft carrier in the Middle Eastern area.
The position of theItalyengaged in Lebanon with a military contingent forming part of the UNIFIL mission deployment, was clarified by the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloniwho during a conversation with his Lebanese counterpart, Najib Mikatireconfirmed our country’s commitment to reaching a diplomatic solution to the crisis. The spokesperson of the Italian military mission, Andrea Tenenti, further underlined that the Italian military “does not intend to abandon their mission”.
What could happen now? The possible attack by Iran
It is extremely difficult to make predictions about what will happen in the near future. Israel, through the mouth of its Foreign Minister, Israel Katzstated that it would only cease its military actions against Lebanon once it obtained “the disarmament of Hezbollah”. On the other hand, the messages addressed in recent days by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahuboth to the Israeli and Iranian people, give a glimpse of the possibility that a certain part of the Israeli political leadership is toying with the hypothesis of a widening of the conflict.
In the last hours Washington issued a general alert in the Middle Eastern region stating that Iran was about to launch a missile attack against Israel, while on the ground tens of thousands of civilians are leaving the band of Lebanese territory located within 60 kilometers of the border with Israel to take refuge towards the north or even escape to Syria. There peace in the Middle East, in short, it is very far from being achieved.
