October 7, 2024
Al Aqsa Flood operation against Israel & Axis of Resistance
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Virtually all the Arab and Muslim countries watched the Israeli genocide of Palestinians feebly and helplessly. It was the so called Axis of Resistance which supported the people of Gaza.
The term "axis of resistance" is believed to have emerged in response to President George W. Bush's use of the term "axis of evil" — referring to Iran, Iraq and North Korea — in his 2002 State of the Union address.
The Axis of Resistance includes Hezbollah movement in Lebanon; the Houthi movement in Yemen and various militant groups in Iraq and Syria.
On October 8, 2023, just 24 hours after the Israeli attacks on Gaza, Hezbollah began launching rockets, announcing its support of the people of Gaza and that it would stop when a ceasefire was announced.
For 12 months, Hezbollah fired rockets, predominantly at Israeli military sites. Hezbollah says its attacks have helped to stretch the Israeli army while also uprooting tens of thousands of Israelis who have fled homes near the border.
On September 27, 2024 Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated in an Israeli attack on Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut.
Israel reportedly used 80 bombs, which flattened several apartment buildings.
Israeli security sources say Israel has killed some 240 Hezbollah fighters including top commanders in Lebanon since Oct. 7, in addition to a further 30 killed in Israeli strikes in Syria.
Israel believes that, by eliminating people like Hasan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Fuad Shukr, and others, they can dismantle Hamas and Hezbollah. While it’s possible to eliminate individual militants, however, eliminating an entire ideology is another matter.
Hezbollah is no longer just a group of armed individuals – it’s an ideology that will attract other militants who will remember these events and reignite the bloody conflict, causing people on both sides to die.
Hezbollah was founded in 1982 in direct response to the Israeli occupation of Lebanon, which persisted until 2000. The Resistance movement succeeded in forcing the Israeli military to retreat from Lebanese territory, marking the first time Israel withdrew without a formal ceasefire agreement. This significant victory was largely attributed to Hezbollah's unwavering resistance efforts.
The Israeli withdrawal elevated Hezbollah's regional influence, establishing it as more than just a Lebanese resistance group—it became a symbol of Arab defiance against Israeli occupation.
Since 1990, Hezbollah has participated in Lebanese politics. Hezbollah held 12 seats and its alliance won the election by gaining 70 out of 128 seats in the Parliament of Lebanon in 2018. At present it has 18 seats in the parliament.
Islamic resistance in Iraq
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq began targeting U.S. forces stationed in Iraq and Syria in October 2023, saying they aimed to respond to Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and to resist U.S. forces deployed in Iraq and the region.
On April 1, Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for an aerial attack on Eilat in Israel.
Yemen's Houthis
The Houthis announced on Oct. 31, 2023, they are supporting Palestinians in Gaza by firing drones and missiles towards Israel.
September 15, Houthis, launched a hypersonic missile at central Israel. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group struck with a new hypersonic ballistic missile that travelled 2,040 km (1270 miles) in just 11 1/2 minutes.
An Israeli military official said the missile was hit by an interceptor and fragmented in the air, rather than being completely destroyed.
In November, Houthis expanded their role by attacking shipping in the southern Red Sea, saying they were aiming at vessels belonging to Israelis or heading to Israeli ports.
The campaign prompted the United States and Britain to launch air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Houthis declared all U.S. and British ships and warships taking part in "the aggression" would be targets for its strikes.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted international commerce on the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, leading some shipping companies to reroute their vessels.
The Houthi movement established control over large parts of Yemen during a civil war that began in 2014 when it seized Sanaa and overthrew the government, which was backed by Saudi Arabia.
Like Hezbollah, the US has declared the Houthis as terrorist group.
Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America (www.journalofamerica.net) Email: asghazali2011 (@) gmail.com