Daily Times

Peace in the Middle East has become several shades more elusive in the wake of the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, a prominent Arab figure in generations known for standing up to Israeli forces and leading a cut-throat “most heavily armed non-state actor,” that too, despite US pressure.

The timing of the Israeli airstrikes penetrating Beirut was particularly ominous. Tel Aviv does not make secret of its years-old agenda to neutralise the black-turbaned commander whose words have made an impact on friends and foes alike.

But the fact that this stunning escalation ensued as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shouted from behind a podium at the UN, wagging his fingers and shamelessly bragging about continuing attacks on Hezbollah, speaks volumes about the twisted ways in which their sinister minds work.

To put the point further across, the Israeli military released a statement celebrating its achievement hours before an official confirmation from Lebanon-based Hezbollah itself. Other than spreading chaos and screaming out its bloodlust to those hoping for a ceasefire, it is still unclear what Israel wishes to achieve with this senseless bout of violence.

The assassination has not only deprived Hezbollah of its key leader but also raised a string of questions about the wider Middle East. Since last October, the international community has been reduced to the role of a bystander (some weeping, others protesting and a whole lot more defending Israel in its genocidal violence).

Now that hell is breaking loose in Lebanon and streets are rife with chatter about another ground war, would we continue with our hollow banters and prayers for a divine miracle? Will Hezbollah be able to regroup and maintain its position as a regional force? How will Lebanon navigate the political and security challenges that lie ahead? And most importantly, what on god’s green earth could stop Israel from plunging the entire Middle East into a textbook example of an endless war? *