In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah (not to be confused with Hamas), the Israeli Air Force carried out multiple airstrikes in southern Lebanon early Monday, targeting sites the militant group allegedly uses to store weapons.
Along with the appalling loss of civilian life in Gaza, this escalation across national borders is leading to further concern by the international community and calls for international intervention amid the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Monday’s actions by the Israeli army sparked a stormy reaction, especially as the Israeli army called on residents of southern Lebanon to leave their homes if they are near places where Hezbollah allegedly stores weapons. In a text message to Lebanese residents, she said: “If you are in a building that houses weapons for Hezbollah, move out of the village until further notice.”
The strategy signals a troubling shift in Israel’s strategy and underscores its intention to carry out large-scale strikes against Hezbollah in an already volatile region. Although no exact figures have been published on how many people this warning may concern, there is a palpable fear among civilians of the possibility of further losses, which Israel will not mitigate in any way in Gaza and, with the inaction of the international community, may carry out further bombing of the territory of a sovereign state without regard to civilian losses.
Part of the counterattack by Hezbollah, which is designated as a terrorist group not only by Israel, was the firing of more than 100 rockets at northern Israel, some of which landed in the dangerous vicinity of the city of Haifa. In response to these provocations, the Israeli Air Force responded with hundreds of strikes. This cycle of violence raised widespread fears of escalation and drew immediate condemnation from Lebanese political leaders.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called the Israeli airstrikes “genocide in every sense of the word” and called on international bodies such as the UN Security Council to take a stronger stance against what he called “aggression”. The prime minister’s remarks reflect deep-seated concerns about Lebanon’s future stability and the toll the conflict will take on its citizens. Official reports said at least one person was killed and several others were injured in Lebanon as a result of these strikes.
On the other hand, the humanitarian conditions in Gaza are dire, as air and ground attacks have resulted in significant civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure. The recent strikes reportedly killed eight Palestinians, including five children, sparking widespread outrage. Gaza’s already overburdened medical facilities say more than 41,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have died since the war began. As the death toll rises in both Lebanon and Gaza, global calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid access are growing. This adds new pressure on Israeli forces and Hezbollah to reconsider the further escalation of the conflict.
Source: zpravy.tiscali.cz
