War in Lebanon continues to escalate

War in the Middle East

War in Lebanon continues to escalate

An “ever deeper occupation of Lebanese territory” – this is how France’s foreign minister describes Israel’s actions in Lebanon. The USA is trying to save the ceasefire that has actually failed.

With the advance of Israeli ground troops in Lebanon and possible new attacks in the Beirut area, the war in the small Mediterranean country continues to escalate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced new attacks on Hezbollah targets in Beirut’s suburbs, prompting many residents to flee. In northern Israel, warning sirens repeatedly sounded amid renewed militia fire.

Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the army to attack “Hezbollah terrorist targets” in Beirut’s suburbs, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. The suburbs, known as Dahija, are considered a Hezbollah stronghold, but are also densely populated. Since a ceasefire was announced in mid-April, Israel’s army has attacked there less frequently – according to media reports, at the request of the US government. Israeli media now reported, citing US government officials, that Washington had given the green light for new attacks in the capital area.

The Lebanese army tried to direct traffic at the borders of Beirut’s suburbs in view of the many fleeing residents. One of them said parents were picking up their children from schools in the area as soon as possible in order to leave the area immediately. A local resident named Imad, like many Lebanese, blamed Hezbollah and its leader Naim Kassim. “Enough silence. We can’t take this anymore,” he told dpa.

Fighting also continued in the south after Israeli troops captured Beaufort Castle on a 700-meter-high mountain ridge. The Lebanese state agency NNA reported numerous Israeli attacks with warplanes, drones and artillery during the night and in the morning. Eight people were killed and 19 others injured in an attack. Residential and commercial areas and a gas station were also attacked. Lebanese media counted around 90 attacks in the south on Sunday alone.

Israeli troops last controlled Beaufort Castle, which dates back to the 12th century, until the year 2000, after almost 20 years of occupation of the neighboring country. From here, Israeli soldiers overlook large areas of Lebanon and the Golan Heights.

Hezbollah, which is allied with Iran, for its part increased its attacks on northern Israel, where there were repeated air alerts due to drone and rocket fire. Places that had not been attacked since the ceasefire began were also recently affected. Israel’s army said when asked that Hezbollah fired 35 projectiles into Israel on Sunday alone. The militia has recently started using fiber optic drones, which are considered immune to jamming, and is thus putting Israel’s army under pressure.

According to the Israeli army, another Israeli soldier was killed in southern Lebanon. According to media reports, he died in a drone attack near Beaufort Castle. Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli troops and equipment near the castle with drones, including hitting a military vehicle.