Yet, Hezbollah, once Iran's best equipped and biggest militia group in the region, issued a statement only hours after the attack. But Hezbollah did not offer to join in the retaliation-- even though,

After a bruising war between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon’s new leaders sense an opportunity to revitalize the country’s devastated economy with help from its wealthy Gulf neighbors.

Lebanese journalist Raghida Dergham and former Mossad analyst Sima Shine spoke about Iran's waning power after the decimation of Hezbollah and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Israel said Friday it would continue striking Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, a day after carrying out its heaviest bombardment yet of south Beirut. The escalation is a violation of the US-brokered ceasefire that began in November.

Israel launched its most extensive series of airstrikes on the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut on Thursday, as well as Ain Qana in south Lebanon, stating it targeted Hezbollah drone production and storage facilities.

Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon since the ceasefire, which Lebanon has said are in violation of the agreement. Israeli officials say the strikes are intended to prevent Hezbollah from regrouping after a war that took out much of its senior leadership and arsenal.

There is much more that Beirut, Washington, and Jerusalem can do together to remove the notorious paramilitary from Lebanon.

Iran conflictLebanese officials have urged Hezbollah not to join Iran’s response to Israeli attacks and the group has assured them it will not take part, security sources told The National on Saturday.