(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Tensions in the Middle East have risen sharply as Iran and its allies prepare to respond to the assassination of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh which they blame on Israel. This has led to concerns about a potential regional conflict. On Saturday (August 3), Hezbollah-the Lebanese Shia Islamist Political party and militant group-announced that it had fired dozens of Katyusha rockets at Israel.
The Iran-supported group stated that this latest attack, targeting Beit Hillel in northern Israel, was a show of support for the Palestinian people. Hezbollah claimed the attack was a direct response to Israeli strikes on Kfar Kela and Deir Siriane in Lebanon, which, they said, had resulted in civilian injuries.
Video footage showed Israel's Iron Dome system successfully intercepting most of the missiles. The Lebanese security sources in southern Lebanon reported that about 50 rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanon. The situation between Israel and Lebanon has recently deteriorated significantly. Unlike Hamas, Hezbollah has a more sophisticated arsenal, including drones and precision-guided missiles, which, analysts told The New York Times (NYT), possibly, had the capability to overpower Israel's air defences.
Following the targeted killings of Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukur and Hamas leader Haniyeh earlier this week, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to seek revenge. Since October 8, 2023, the Hezbollah has launched thousands of drones and missiles at Israel, leading to Israeli counterattacks.
Katyusha: Weapon of Choice
The name, 'Katyusha' (meaning 'Little Katy' in Russian) was first used by Soviet soldiers during World War II to describe 82mm and 132mm rockets used by USSR forces for land attacks. Today, the term is used to refer to most of Hezbollah's unguided artillery rockets fired from multiple rocket launchers. Hezbollah uses various Katyusha models, which are typically distinguished by their range (4-40 km), warhead size (10-20 kg, high explosive, or submunitions), and launch weight (45-75 kg).
One popular variant is the 122mm 9M22 Grad-type rocket, originally designed for the Soviet BM-21 MRL. It has a range of about 20 km and carries 6 kg of high explosive, or submunitions, both of which disperse anti-personnel fragments. These rockets can be launched from simple tripod launchers or truck-based MRLs and are accurate within a 336m x 160m area.
A majority of Hezbollah's rocket arsenal comprises Katyushas that were used extensively in the 2006 Lebanon War. A 2006 report estimated that the Hezbollah had 7,000-8,000 107mm and 122mm Katyusha rockets. This number has since increased. Iran, Hezbollah's primary provider of Katyushas, has additionally supplied truck-mounted, multi-barrel rocket launchers since 2001 which allow the Hezbollah to fire salvos of Katyushas into Israel.
Before Israel deployed the Iron Dome in March 2011, Katyushas were hard to intercept due to their short flight time and low trajectory, making them difficult and costly for higher-tier missile defences, such as the Patriot system, to target.
Current Situation with Iran
After Haniyeh's killing in Tehran, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed“harsh punishment”. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also issued a televised statement calling for retaliation. In April, Iran had fired over 300 missiles and drones at Israel, targeting an air base in the south. This led Hezbollah, Iran's closest ally in the region, to increase its attacks from Lebanon. Towns and villages on Israel's northern border are especially at risk from Hezbollah rockets.
Discussing Haniyeh's assassination, Ali Akbar Behmanesh, a prominent Iranian politician, reportedly said it was a major blow to Iran's regional standing as it humiliated the country and exposed serious flaws in its security and intelligence systems.
What's Happening in Israel?
Israel has been under attack from multiple directions for months, but the recent killings of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders have raised fears of an escalating crisis. According to an NYT report, Israeli officials have advised residents to stock up on food and water in fortified safe-rooms. Paramedics have also conducted emergency drills to prepare for the possibility of a full-scale war.
A Tel-Aviv resident told NYT that Hezbollah had not aimed for total war so far. They had safe-rooms and the Iron Dome. People living in northern Israel shared similar fears about a possible escalation. Residents were concerned that the attack in the Golan Heights, which struck a soccer field in the village of Majdal Shams, could easily have happened in their own community.
Global Reactions to the Crisis
India has issued advisories for both Israel and Lebanon warning its nationals to avoid travelling to Lebanon and urged citizens in Israel to stay vigilant and follow safety protocols. Additionally, Air India has suspended its flights to Tel-Aviv due to the crisis. Similarly, many major airlines around the world have halted flights to and from Israel and Lebanon. OPSGROUP, an organization that shares flight risk information, has recommended that flights between Asia and Europe avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace.
Meanwhile, the US has deployed additional combat aircraft and missile defence warships to the Middle East in response to threats from Iran and its allies in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen to attack Israel, according to the Pentagon. US Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin III said the military would send an additional squadron of air force F-22 fighter jets, more navy cruisers and destroyers capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, and, if necessary, additional land-based missile defence systems.
(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: ...)
MENAFN05082024007385015968ID1108520349
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.