On September 1, 2019, Hezbollah announced the destruction of an Israeli military vehicle in the Avivim area near the southern border of Lebanon. This incident occurred a week after Hezbollah accused the Israeli occupation of launching an attack using two drones in its stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The attack also followed the killing of two of its members in an Israeli airstrike in Syria.
In a private meeting with regional leaders of Hezbollah, the then Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah urged his men to be transparent with the public regarding the possibility of a sudden, large-scale war with the Israeli occupation during the upcoming summer in Lebanon.
Nasrallah indicated that he might not remain among them for much longer and that the Israelis could succeed in assassinating him along with other senior leaders.
However, he emphasized that the assassination of leaders would not signify the end of Hezbollah, stating that the organization is deeply rooted in Lebanese society and that its existence does not depend on individuals.
He also mentioned that precautionary measures had been taken to address such extreme scenarios, stressing the importance of remaining calm and avoiding unnecessary questions.
In a televised interview, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, stated that “the atmosphere is unlikely to be one of war,” confirming that the situation was related to responses to Israeli aggressions, and that all developments would be resolved at the appropriate time.
On the other hand, the Israeli army announced the end of the exchange of fire with Hezbollah along the Lebanese border, reporting no casualties among its forces.
The army spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, told reporters at the time that “the tactical incident near Avivim, which included an exchange of fire, has likely ended,” noting that a military ambulance was damaged during the incident.
Following initial reports of gunfire, a military spokesperson advised Israelis residing within four kilometers of the Lebanese border to stay indoors and prepare their shelters without needing to enter them. This was before the announcement of the cessation of clashes at the time.
