Why is Israel still attacking Lebanon?
Israel has said that the ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran does not apply to its war against the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and is continuing its attacks. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, more than 180 people died in Israeli attacks on Wednesday. Commentators focus on the role of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in this war.
Netanyahu has lost
Netanyahu was the only one to not personally declare a ceasefire, notes Corriere della Sera:
“Partly because he did not make the decision himself, and partly to avoid having his name associated with the word ceasefire again. After all, elections are pending and whatever is left of 'Mr Security' cannot afford to appear weak. The Israelis have been rushing back and forth between underground shelters for five weeks, 19 people have been killed by Iranian missiles; schools are closed, Ben Gurion Airport has been shut down, and Jewish holidays have been ruined. ... Iran's enriched uranium is hidden somewhere in the mountains, there has been no regime change, and estimates of how many missiles have been destroyed are contradictory.”
Further damage to its image
Israel's record in this war is mixed, writes Tygodnik Powszechny:
“On the one hand Israel has proven its superiority over Iran (even if it is not clear how long it can continue to single-handedly and effectively defend itself against missile attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps). In addition, Israel has strengthened its close ties with America. On the other hand, the brutal air raids on Iran, the destruction of entire villages and infrastructure in southern Lebanon as well as ongoing diplomatic spats with countries like France and Spain have led to a very negative opinion of the Jewish state in the minds of the global public.”
Controlling the narrative is the goal
Military expert Alexandru Grumaz analyses Netanyahu's role in Adevărul:
“He explicitly ruled out a ceasefire with Hezbollah, so the Lebanese front remains active. This means that the crisis could escalate at any moment. It's in Israel's interest to sabotage a deal between the US and Iran because it would reduce its influence. ... It's unlikely that a comprehensive and verifiable agreement will be in place within two weeks. Deals concerning Iran's nuclear programme have been falling through for 20 years. So two weeks will not be long enough to find a structural solution. ... This is not primarily about a final agreement, but about who controls the narrative at the end of the two weeks.”