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[dripdripsplash]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/...baa-farms-missile-attack-150128100642659.html

Two Israeli soldiers killed in Hezbollah missile attack

Seven soldiers also injured in the attack, and one Spanish UN peacekeeper killed in retaliatory Israeli shelling.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed by a Hezbollah missile fired at at an Israeli military vehicle in the Shebaa farms are on the border with Syria and Lebanon.
The Israeli military confirmed that seven soldiers were also injured in Wednesday's strike.

In response to the attack, Israeli forces fired shells across the border into southern Lebanon. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that Israeli shelling had killed one of its peacekeepers from Spain.

There were also reports of Israeli war planes flying over the border with Lebanon.
A Hezbollah statement claiming responsibility for the attack said: "11:25am this morning, al-Quneitra Martyr's group targeted an Israeli convoy with specialised heavy duty rockets in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa farms area. The convoy included Israeli artillery, an officer and several soldiers many of whom were injured," the statement read.

"Await retaliation"

The attack by Hezbollah was likely in retaliation for an Israeli air strike in Quneitra on January 18th that killed six Hezbollah fighters and an Iranian general. Both Hezbollah and the Iranian army had vowed revenge, and earlier on Wednesday Iran said that Israel should "await retaliation" for the strike.

A Lebanese army spokesman said the missile was not fired from Lebanese territory, and that the artillery response by Israel was randomly falling on areas along the border, but that no shells had landed on villages with civilians yet.

Shebaa Farms is a small strip of disputed land at the intersection of the Lebanese-Syrian border and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Schools closed in and around Shebaa, and residents stayed indoors as the shelling continued throughout Wednesday morning.

Residents in neighbouring towns continued life as normal, telling Al Jazeera that they don't feel this will escalate into a full blown war.

"Whatever happens happens, but we're not moving and we're not scared," one resident of Marjayoun, a town a few kilometres from the border with Israeli, said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: "The IDF is ready to act with force on any front".

Al Jazeera's el-Shamayleh, who is reporting from Jerusalem, said that while a response was expected from Israel against Hezbollah, an escalation of hostilities was unlikely.
Meawnhile, Lebanese politician Samir Geagea, a member of the March 14 opposed to Hezbollah, said that Hezbollah "doesn't have the right to involve the Lebanese army and government in a battle with Israel."

Walid Jumblatt, another politician considered to be centrist, said the attack will lead to "turbulent" times for Lebanon.

On Friday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is expected to speak on the Quneitra strike.

 

[Maninthemirror]

I wish Israel and US would coerce Hezbollah to fight ISIS knowing they are sworn enemies of each other, kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

 

[SliceSabre]

Guess those Hezbollah asshats decided nobody was paying them attention since ISIS got big and run off and do this.

 

[GSG Flash]

I wish Israel and US would coerce Hezbollah to fight ISIS knowing they are sworn enemies of each other, kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

I think they are fighting ISIS, Israel is suspiciously absent from the fight against ISIS though, even after the Belgium and Paris attacks.

This was in retaliation for Israel bombing Hezbollah and Syrian positions inside Syria.

 

[dripdripsplash]

Guess those Hezbollah asshats decided nobody was paying them attention since ISIS got big and run off and do this.

Have you read the thread title ?

Have you actually read the OP ?

 

[Madness]

That poor peacekeeper from Spain caught up as collateral damage. That's definitely one of the shittiest and most thankless jobs to have, being a peacekeeper in the UN, being sent to some of the most tense areas in the world where a flashpoint shelling or fighting could break out. So many peacekeepers are killed, abducted, held hostage. Even worse is, very few of the actual powerful nations in the world even let their own citizens be peacekeepers in that way. It's always some people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines that do it.

Don't even get the point of the attack as well. Israel has one of the most formidable militaries in the world, let alone in just the middle east. Plus they have a heavy handed response every time. Innocent people are killer plus it creates more problems and takes away sympathy from the Palestinians.

 

[Volimar]

That poor peacekeeper from Spain caught up as collateral damage. That's definitely one of the shittiest and most thankless jobs to have, being a peacekeeper in the UN, being sent to some of the most tense areas in the world where a flashpoint shelling or fighting could break out. So many peacekeepers are killed, abducted, held hostage. Even worse is, very few of the actual powerful nations in the world even let their own citizens be peacekeepers in that way. It's always some people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines that do it.

Don't even get the point of the attack as well. Israel has one of the most formidable militaries in the world, let alone in just the middle east. Plus they have a heavy handed response every time. Innocent people are killer plus it creates more problems and takes away sympathy from the Palestinians.

Every innocent Palestinian that is killed in retalliatory attacks is a potential family member(s) that will take up arms against Israel. Hezbollah does some good works for Palestinians, but don't fool yourself into thinking they are not okay with sacrificing them for their cause. Even in light of this reality, the way that Israel has and continues to treat Palestinians has lead them to believe that Hezbollah has their backs. It's a pretty shit position for Palestinians.

 

[deadlast]

I was listening to NPR this morning and the Israelis said only 4 soldiers were injured and a vehicle was destroyed.
And Hezboliah said they killed 10 Israeli soldiers.

 

[maquiladora]

I was listening to NPR this morning and the Israelis said only 4 soldiers were injured and a vehicle was destroyed.
And Hezboliah said they killed 10 Israeli soldiers.

The military censor in Israel often withholds reporting on deaths for several hours.

 

[Link]

Guess those Hezbollah asshats decided nobody was paying them attention since ISIS got big and run off and do this.

This likely happened because Israel is very much paying attention to them.

 

[spineduke]

It's now up to 2 dead and several injured.

It's so frustrating to see how the game of war is at the bidding of all these megalomaniacs. Nashrallah, Bashar, Netenyahu, it's never ending.

Very much agree that this is nothing more than a popularity bid, a few strikes here and there does wonders for the polls on both sides. I'm left wondering when/if the escalations stop. Watch Lebanon bear the brunt of it if it does happen.

 

[Pandaman]

Guess those Hezbollah asshats decided nobody was paying them attention since ISIS got big and run off and do this.

Yeah, those jerks should just get slaughtered in peace while the world focuses on ISIS

 

[SliceSabre]

Yeah, those jerks should just get slaughtered in peace while the world focuses on ISIS

Hezbollah =/= Hamas

You seem to be confusing the two. Unless you're suggesting that a terrorist organization like them that offers nothing positive to anybody deserves to be able to launch attacks against another nation.

 

[Jag]

Hezbollah=Iran.

Iran said it would retaliate for the death of its General and they did through their Hezbollah proxy. Iran will not attack Israel directly because it would give Israel the green light to bomb Iran. It also gives Iran some 'moral high ground' although everyone knows it's just a fiction.

 

[Funky Papa]

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that Israeli shelling had killed one of its peacekeepers from Spain.

I'm more than incensed about this.

And of course, Rajoy won't lift a finger.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

What's up with Labling it a 'retaliatory' attack. Seems to justify it

I'm more than incensed about this.

And of course, Rajoy won't lift a finger.

Its not the first time Spanish troops have died in Lebanon. Didn't a few die back in 2006? I actually have a newspaper from when I visited back then

 

[shinobi602]

What's up with Labling it a 'retaliatory' attack. Seems to justify it

Well...I mean it pretty much is. Israeli airtstrike took out Hezbollah fighters in Syria and they said they'd retaliate.

 

[kmag]

Hezbollah=Iran.

Iran said it would retaliate for the death of its General and they did through their Hezbollah proxy. Iran will not attack Israel directly because it would give Israel the green light to bomb Iran. It also gives Iran some 'moral high ground' although everyone knows it's just a fiction.

Unless it's with nukes or conventional ballistics, Israel doesn't really have the capability to seriously bomb Iran. They've got some long range sub launched cruise missiles they could use but they're not going to do anything serious.

They could do a long range strike with F16's but that would require either US refuelling support or a pretty continuous stream of buddy to buddy refuelling, because even though Israel has around 8 tankers that wouldn't be enough to get the sort of force they need* that far.

*in addition to the strike aircraft, they'd need fighter escorts for the tankers and they'd also need considerable Electronic Warfare aircraft to suppress Iran's SAM system.

 

[RustyNails]

What's up with Labling it a 'retaliatory' attack. Seems to justify it

How is it not a retaliation?

 

[kmag]

What's up with Labling it a 'retaliatory' attack. Seems to justify it
Its not the first time Spanish troops have died in Lebanon. Didn't a few die back in 2006? I actually have a newspaper from when I visited back then

It's pretty much the dictionary definition of a retaliatory strike. The IDF killed a bunch of Hezbollah last week this is a direct response to that. I mean you could look at it over a longer period and try to unwind all the tit for tat attacks but in this case it seems relatively clear cut.

 

[KPJZKC]

Anybody have the stats on UN staff & peacekeepers killed by Hezbollah?

I can only recall reports of Israel killing UN staff.

 

[Jag]

Unless it's with nukes or conventional ballistics, Israel doesn't really have the capability to seriously bomb Iran. They've got some long range sub launched cruise missiles they could use but they're not going to do anything serious.

They could do a long range strike with F16's but that would require either US refuelling support or a pretty continuous stream of buddy to buddy refuelling, because even though Israel has around 8 tankers that wouldn't be enough to get the sort of force they need* that far.

*in addition to the strike aircraft, they'd need fighter escorts for the tankers and they'd also need considerable Electronic Warfare aircraft to suppress Iran's SAM system.

I didn't think fuel was as much as an issue as the route. The attack would need to be a surprise which means taking a route that won't alert Iran. I believe the Saudis recently ran a test to ensure that their SAM systems would not attack Israeli planes flying to Iran.

 

[spineduke]

Anybody have the stats on UN staff & peacekeepers killed by Hezbollah?

I can only recall reports of Israel killing UN staff.

AFAIK they've never directly targeted UN personnel, but there have been plenty of roadside bombs, traps and other kinds of harassment in the south. The south is predominately controlled by them, and nothing really happens without their knowledge/blessing.

 

[kmag]

I didn't think fuel was as much as an issue as the route. The attack would need to be a surprise which means taking a route that won't alert Iran. I believe the Saudis recently ran a test to ensure that their SAM systems would not attack Israeli planes flying to Iran.

Fuel is an issue mainly due to the number of planes needed for an attack and the Israeli comparative lack of in air refuelling.

The route is also an issue.

It could be done, but for it to be anything more than a symbolic air raid (like the RAF's vulcan bombings during the Falklands) then they'd have to resolve the fueling issue. It's on the very edge of their operational range.

 

[Vastag]

Was the spanish soldier in his base or on patrol? Holy fuck, what type of indiscrimate shelling was that to kill one UN peacekeeper?