Israel Strikes Lebanon: The Usual 'Self-Defense' Preamble
The New Arab reports Israel launched a 'series of strikes on Lebanon,' claiming to target Hezbollah. A familiar script, one might say, especially since this often follows an Israeli accusation of provocation. (Always the defender, never the aggressor, right?). This pattern is as old as the 1982 invasion that plunged Lebanon into chaos, or the 2006 war, which Israel also presented as 'self-defense'
against Hezbollah. These 'defensive' overtures consistently precede escalations, often with a conveniently timed rhetorical flourish from Israeli leadership. One might wonder how many times the international community will accept the same 'response' narrative before acknowledging a cycle of deliberate expansion. The constant bombardment of a sovereign neighbor after a brutalized Gaza comes into
focus is certainly… a choice.