Israel adds medieval weapon to its arsenal in fight against Hezbollah

Verified footage shows Israeli troops using a trebuchet – a type of catapult that uses heavy weight – to launch flaming projectiles over a large concrete wall while one soldier shouts “come on, another one!” »

Israeli troops who have previously seen the device in use said its purpose was to burn vegetation to increase Israeli troops' visibility and prevent Hezbollah militants from using the brush as cover. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed that troops used the trebuchet in an isolated event and on a specific target.

An Israeli reservist who saw the trebuchet in use earlier said it was initially created by reservists from a battalion stationed in northern Israel several months ago, adding that its construction was not a directive official. After a video of the device was widely shared online this week, many people in Israel mocked the high-tech country for its return to medieval tactics.

The barrage of projectiles launched from both sides of the border has caused fires to spread through dry brush and raised concerns about further escalation. It took Israel several days to bring large forest fires sparked by suspected Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks earlier this month under control.

“We remain concerned about the exchange of fire across the border,” U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of Israelis and Lebanese have been evacuated from towns and villages along the border. The fires risk disrupting the return of displaced people and threatening populations who depend on agriculture, analysts say. U.S. authorities are investigating Israel's possible use of white phosphorus, a highly flammable compound banned in certain circumstances, during Israeli attacks in Lebanon in mid-October, according to a U.S. official. The Israeli military has said its use of white phosphorus complies with international law.

Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at Israel on Wednesday after an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed Commander Taleb Sami Abdullah, one of the militia's most senior members. The Israeli military said on Wednesday that around 215 rockets were fired from Lebanon at towns in northern Israel, causing fires but causing no casualties.

Two Lebanese women were killed Thursday evening in a suspected Israeli strike on a residential building in the village of Jannata, according to the Lebanese Civil Defense.

The recent escalations come as Israel faces domestic pressure from its displaced northern residents to ensure there is enough security for them to return home. Analysts say Hezbollah aims to deter Israel from operating with impunity on Lebanese territory, while exerting political pressure on Israel amid ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, a Hezbollah ally.

Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, said the group would not stop its operations along the border until Israel ceases fire in Gaza.

The border skirmishes risk drawing both sides into a wider war, analysts say.

“The trend suggests that this is the direction we are heading,” said Randa Slim, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, a think tank in Washington. ante.”

Write to Omar Abdel-Baqui at [email protected] and Anat Peled at [email protected]