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Who is behind the attack on Israel from Lebanon? | Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official and senior adviser on Arab affairs shares his assessments on the current conflict | March 28, 2025 – BBC News.
(00:00) Following Israeli strikes in Gaza, there was a resumption of strikes between Israel and Lebanon. (00:15) Avi Melamed, founder of Inside the Middle East think tank, states the organization behind the latest strikes from Lebanon into Israel is unknown, with Hamas and Hezbollah denying involvement. (00:39) Israel has reciprocated with strikes back into Lebanon. (00:43) Melamed believes Hezbollah is likely not directly behind the attack, suggesting the bigger issue is Lebanon’s attempt to restore its sovereignty, “kidnapped” by Iran and Hezbollah over the past decades. (01:10) Lebanon has semi-state entities, including Hezbollah and Palestinian-affiliated groups in refugee camps, all challenging Lebanese sovereignty. (01:40) A Lebanese source indicated Hezbollah likely had some general knowledge of the strikes but didn’t interfere. (02:02) The timing coincides with the Lebanese Prime Minister reiterating that Lebanon’s identity is “the people and the army,” a change from the previous Hezbollah-influenced equation including “the resistance.” This could be a signal from Hezbollah or allied Palestinian factions against this new definition. (03:20) Melamed does not believe the timing of the Lebanese strikes is directly linked to the situation in Gaza or the protests by hostages’ families against Israeli actions. (03:39) He connects the attacks to recent clashes in Lebanon between Syrian Arab forces and Lebanese armed factors (some portrayed as Hezbollah or local groups involved in smuggling), seeing it as part of the broader struggle to re-establish Lebanese sovereignty. (04:13) Melamed emphasizes that associating these events with external issues would be inaccurate, and the focus should be on supporting Lebanon’s desire to restore its sovereignty.
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INSIDE THE MIDDLE EAST | ENTERING A NEW ERA, available now >>>
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