Is Israel headed to war with Hezbollah? If you believe the Iranian-backed terror group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, the answer is yes. This time, however, it is purely an economic dispute. While Lebanon suffers the worst economic conditions in its history, they are trying to lay claim to one of Israel's natural gas wells.
Israel’s relatively new gas field has become the latest target of Iranian-funded Hezbollah. The natural gas fields have been marked within Israel’s maritime borders, and rigs have been put in place to begin extracting the gas. Some of these structures are on the border of what Hezbollah would like to define as ‘disputed waters.' However, despite the terror group's claims, all Israeli oil rigs are in waters the international community considers Israel's maritime territory.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz addressed the issue during a radio appearance, Sunday. Gantz said that an attack by Hezbollah on one of Israel's gas rigs would lead to a military campaign in the north. "It could lead to a reaction, and it could lead to a day of battle that could develop into several days of battle, it could lead to a campaign," the defense minister said in an interview on radio 103FM. "I hope things will work out."
The Karish Gas Field Dispute: Understanding The Rise in Tensions Between Lebanon & Israel https://t.co/dbQUcr77Kh via @honestreporting
— Bruce Weingart (@bruce_weingart) August 21, 2022
Gantz expressed his wishes to establish a gas platform for Lebanon on their side of the border that will tap into the same gas field. "I hope we won't have to go through a battle or any military friction before this thing because it will just be a tragedy for the state of Lebanon and its citizens." Nasrallah wants it all, however and has said so in his demands, warning Israel that any gas taken from the existing rig will trigger a confrontation.
In recent months, Hezbollah tried to launch several drones at the Karish gas rig amid the dispute over gas ownership. At the beginning of July, three unmanned Hezbollah aircraft that flew from Lebanon towards the Harish gas rig. A fighter jet intercepted one of the drones, and the two others were intercepted by Barak missiles from the “Ahi Eilat” missile ship.
Ibrahim al-Amin says the current Lebanese position, underwritten by Hezbollah, is that Israel cannot exploit Karish or any other gas field, until Lebanon has both a deal for Qana and international companies have begun to work at other Lebanese gas fields. https://t.co/41S975IJh6
— Aron Lund (@aronlund) August 22, 2022
"All the gas fields in Israel are in the sights of our missiles - not just Karish," Nasrallah said about a month ago. "There is no target in the sea or in the air that is not within the range of Hezbollah's precision missiles," added the secretary general of the organization in an interview with "Al-Mayadeen" to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Hezbollah. "If gas pumping from the Karish rig starts in September without Lebanon having any rights - There will be trouble."
Gantz on threats from #Hezbollah: "Not looking for wars but if necessary we will do it" M.O.D spoke w/"Walla!" about threat from #Lebanon and expressed satisfaction w/IDF's achievements in #OperationBreakingDawn: "I am not complacent or arrogant but we have achieved good things" pic.twitter.com/wA6AobC2Bo
— Eli Dror (@edrormba) August 10, 2022
In addition to the threats from Lebanon, Gantz spoke of recent tensions with Egypt regarding the recent trip of Shin Bet chief Ronan Bar to Cairo, where he held a meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kemal intending to reduce tensions between the countries following the latest Gaza operation.
The head of the Shin Bet Ronan Bar travelled today to Cairo to meet with the head of the Egyptian intelligence Abbas Kamel in an attempt to calm the crisis between Jerusalem and Cairo.
— יוני בן מנחם yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) August 21, 2022
Abbas Kamel canceled his visit to Israel in protest of the deterioration of the relations. pic.twitter.com/UYxoM4hOpE
The tensions began after Egypt had told The Islamic Jihad that Israel was willing to release two prisoners when the cabinet voted no to the request. The Egyptian message led to a stand-down order from the PIJ leadership just before the Israeli operation began, which led to the killing of senior leadership. In addition, in Israel, the arrests of Islamic Jihad operatives in the West Bank continued after the operation even though the group was told Israel would cease apprehension operations.
Gantz says war would be 'tragic' to Lebanon if Hezbollah attacks Karish https://t.co/iyAZeqTqhi #Naharnet #Lebanon
— EyeonLebanon (@EyeonLebanon) August 22, 2022
"In the last few days, there has been a bit of a 'hiccup' in the relations between Israel and Egypt, and it is being rearranged," The defense minister admitted. "I think that the fact that they are accepting the head of the Shin Bet is a good sign." Gantz also emphasized that Israel did not agree to release prisoners of the Islamic Jihad.
