Israel has engaged in military operations against Lebanon and Gaza on several occasions. The reasons for these strikes have varied, but they are often in response to perceived threats from terrorist groups or other hostile actors. In recent years, these conflicts have been characterized by airstrikes, which have caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure and resulted in the loss of many innocent lives. This essay will provide an overview of the most significant Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in recent years, and examine the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to these conflicts.
The Israel-Palestine conflict dates back to the late 19th century, when Jewish immigrants began settling in Palestine, which was then under Ottoman control. Over time, tensions between Jews and Arabs grew, as each group sought control of the land. In 1948, the state of Israel was established, leading to a war between Israel and neighboring Arab countries, including Lebanon. Since then, the conflict has continued, with occasional flare-ups of violence.
Israeli Strikes on Lebanon
Israel has conducted several military operations in Lebanon since the 1970s. The most significant of these was the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, which lasted for several months and resulted in the deaths of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians. In recent years, Israel has focused its attention on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, which has a significant presence in southern Lebanon. Israel sees Hezbollah as a significant threat and has conducted several airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
The most recent significant Israeli strikes on Lebanon took place in 2021. On August 4, Israel launched airstrikes on targets in southern Lebanon, in response to rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel. According to the Israeli military, the targets included “sites used by Hezbollah to manufacture and store weapons.” The Lebanese government condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
The consequences of these strikes were significant. Several buildings were destroyed, and several people were injured. However, there were no reported deaths. The strikes also resulted in the displacement of several families, who were forced to flee their homes.
Israel has conducted several military operations in Gaza, which is controlled by the Hamas militant group. The most significant of these was the 2014 Gaza War, which lasted for 50 days and resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians. The conflict began when Hamas fired rockets into Israel, and Israel responded with airstrikes.
Since then, there have been several smaller-scale conflicts between Israel and Hamas, including the most recent conflict in May 2021. The conflict began with unrest in Jerusalem, which led to clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters. Hamas responded by firing rockets into Israel, and Israel responded with airstrikes on targets in Gaza.
The consequences of these strikes were devastating. Over 250 Palestinians were killed, including many civilians, and thousands more were injured. Several buildings, including a tower housing international media outlets, were destroyed. In Israel, 12 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.
The causes of Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Gaza are complex and varied. In the case of Lebanon, Israel sees the Hezbollah militia as a significant threat, due to its close ties with Iran and its large arsenal of rockets and missiles. Israel has also accused Hezbollah of carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets. As a result, Israel has conducted several airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in an attempt to weaken the group.
In the case of Gaza, the conflict is rooted in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas, which controls Gaza, is an Islamist militant group that seeks the destruction of Israel. Hamas has fired rockets into Israel on several occasions, leading to Israeli airstrikes in response.