On Friday morning, Israeli warplanes bombed underground tunnels and other targets the country said were intended for weapons production. The attack followed Israel’s largest rocket attack in 17 years on Thursday. Three people in northern Israel were injured. It is clear that the attacks came from southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, but it is unclear who is behind the attacks, says Kenkhuis. “It has not yet been officially claimed or proven who did it.”
But due to the location from which the missiles were launched, there’s more to be said about who might be behind it. “They were probably Palestinian factions in southern Lebanon. Then it could have been Hamas or a group called Islamic Political Jihad.” Furthermore, the role of the Hezbollah terrorist group is not excluded. Southern Lebanon is under the control of Hezbollah. Indeed, such a missile attack would not be possible without Hezbollah’s permission or knowledge.’
Response to Israeli violence on the Temple Mount
The rocket attack on Israel could be a response to violence by Israeli riot police on the Al Aqsa mosque, sacred to Muslims, on the Temple Mount. Hundreds of Palestinians were herded there and dozens were injured. The actions of the Israeli riot police could count on international outrage. ‘It is therefore important to indicate that it all started there. It’s not that Palestinian factions started shooting from southern Lebanon out of the blue. This was a response to Israel’s invasion of the Jerusalem mosque during Ramadan,’ says Kenkhuis.