Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed it had begun destroying CCTV cameras at several Israeli army posts along the border against the background of growing tensions between Israel and Hamas.
Hezbollah published a video showing snipers firing at cameras at five locations along the Lebanese-Israeli border, including one outside the Israeli town of Metula.
The militants intend to prevent the Israeli army from monitoring movements on the Lebanese side of the border after at least seven people, including four Hezbollah fighters, were killed there.
The military conflict between Hamas and Israel began on October 7 and has already claimed 1,400 Israeli civilian and military lives. Furthermore, the conflict is slowly affecting neighbouring countries, raising tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Israel and Hezbollah are sworn enemies who fought a month-long war in the summer of 2006 that ended in a draw. Israel considers the Iranian-backed Shiite militant group its most serious immediate threat. Hezbollah is estimated to have about 150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel.
Despite US President Joe Biden’s warnings about the consequences of involvement, there are concerns that Hezbollah may join the war against Israel. Biden has sent US warships to the region and pledged full support for Israel.
Hezbollah politician Hassan Fadlallah stated on Sunday that the group was ready for all possibilities, adding:
We don’t want to reveal what the next step is.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has arrived in Beirut to discuss the tense situation along the border with officials.
Lebanon’s Interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated that the country’s “politically paralysed” government was doing its best to ease tensions along the southern border with Israel and avoid dragging the country into a new war.
On Monday, the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of people living in 28 communities near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah claimed the increased strikes were a warning, not a decision to wage war.
The World Health Organisation announced on Monday that it had sent two shipments of medical supplies to Beirut in preparation for a potential escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border.
