Hezbollah seeks to target Israel with more long-range missiles: What does this mean?

Hezbollah has a new goal: trying to use more long-range missiles to target Tel Aviv and its surrounding areas.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN NOVEMBER 13, 2024 21:39 Updated: NOVEMBER 13, 2024 21:41

UAV (illustrative) (photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X)

Hezbollah has a new goal: It is trying to use more long-range missiles to target areas around Tel Aviv. Hezbollah has confirmed this in recent claims about its attacks, claiming they are part of its “Khaybar series of operations.” Hezbollah has released details to Iranian media, pro-Hezbollah media, and also Houthi media.

The coordinated effort to highlight this is clear. Israeli media has been reporting on how Hezbollah is being defeated. Hezbollah’s message is that it is not only not defeated, it can increase its attacks. This is part of a larger series of attacks that Iran appears to have prodded Iraqi militias and the Houthis to conduct. The Houthis claimed they used a new “Palestine 2” missile against Israel on Monday. Hezbollah has also claimed to roll out Fateh missiles, which are of Iranian origin.

Hezbollah “announced that it launched an air attack using a squadron of attack drones on the Kirya base, which is the headquarters of the Israeli Ministry of War and General Staff. It hit the targets accurately at 03:30 this afternoon,” the Houthi Al-Masirah media reported. There was no evidence that this actually happened, as no sirens sounded in Israel at the time.

The Iranian-backed group also claimed to target the IDF’s 146th Division logistics base “east of Nahariya.” The 146th Division is one of several IDF divisions fighting in Lebanon. The group also claimed to target a base near Afula, which it referred to as the “Amos base.” Hezbollah claimed the “targeted Amos base is used to form transportation in the northern region and is a central hub in the readiness of the [Israeli] Technology Division.”

The same claims were repeated by Iran’s IRNA state media. The report there said that Hezbollah said this was its first attack targeting the Kirya in Tel Aviv. Again, it’s worth noting that there was no evidence that this attack happened in Israel. “Hezbollah said the base serves as the headquarters of the Israeli Ministry of War [Defense Ministry] and general staff, the war management room, and the air force’s military control and oversight authority in Tel Aviv.” Hezbollah claimed it used a “squadron” of drones in this attack. “Hezbollah also said it targeted the logistical base of the Israeli army’s 146th Division north of the village of Sheikh Dannon, east of Nahariya, with attack drones,” IRNA reported. This is the same message Hezbollah put out to other pro-Iran media.

A MAN looks inside a damaged car after a Houthi drone attack in Tel Aviv, last Friday. Iran operates proxy organizations not directly subject to the rules of international humanitarian law, explains the writer. (credit: JAMAL AWAD/FLASH90)

Hezbollah is paying close attention to Israeli reactions. Al-Mayadeen media, which supports Hezbollah, said that Israel is perceiving these attacks as “achievements” by the Iranian-backed group. The Al-Mayadeen reports also included the same claims from Hezbollah about targeting Tel Aviv.

More sirens sounding in central Israel, including Tel Aviv 

The IDF said that sirens sounded in central Israel at 5:46 pm on November 13. “Following the sirens sounded a short while ago in a number of areas in central Israel and in the Carmel area, approximately five projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Some of the projectiles were intercepted by the IAF; fallen projectiles were identified.” At 4:37 pm, sirens sounded in central Israel on November 12. The IDF said, “Following the sirens that sounded in numerous areas in central Israel, the IAF intercepted three projectiles that crossed from Lebanon.” At 6:04 am, sirens also sounded on November 11.

“Following the sirens that sounded in the Shfelat Yehuda, Yehuda, and Lakhish areas of central Israel, the IAF intercepted one projectile that approached Israel from the direction of Yemen,” the IDF said. On Friday, November 8 the IDF also said at 5:36 pm “following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in central and northern Israel, five projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory. Most of the projectiles were intercepted, and some fell into open areas. A fallen projectile was identified in the Western Galilee.”