Original Source
Hezbollah, Iran Launch Joint Attack; Israel Retaliates Massively
Hezbollah's Large-Scale Attack and Israel's Retaliation
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, launched over 200 missiles and drones into Israel overnight. Israeli media characterized this as a 'unified joint attack by Hezbollah and Iran.' Hezbollah claimed to have hit targets, including a military base on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, naming the operation 'Eaten Straw.' In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out powerful retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah strongholds outside Beirut.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated in a release that they are “resolutely operating against the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which made a deliberate decision to attack Israel on behalf of the Iranian regime.” The IDF also emphasized that they “will not tolerate any harm to Israeli civilians and will respond forcefully to any threat against the State of Israel,” signaling further retaliatory measures.
International Expert Analysis and Lebanese Government Stance
Matthew Levitt, a Hezbollah expert at the Washington Institute, analyzed that the term 'Eaten Straw' refers to the destruction of enemies in a Quranic verse, predicting that this would lead to a large-scale Israeli response. Previously, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had criticized Hezbollah a few days prior, stating that it was turning Lebanon into a 'second Gaza Strip.' Sarit Zehavi of Israel's Alma Research and Education Center assessed that Hezbollah aims to deter further Israeli operations.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese military failed to meet the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump to disarm the Hezbollah terrorist organization by 2025. The Lebanese government announced last Tuesday its hope for direct dialogue with Israel to end the current conflict with Hezbollah, but an Israeli official assessed that Beirut is unable to influence Hezbollah's actions in any way.
*Source: Fox News World (2026-03-12)*
