Israel’s recent airstrikes on Beirut have resulted in 22 deaths and 117 injuries, marking the deadliest attack on the city center since the escalation began. According to a leading newswire, which cited a source close to Hezbollah, the strikes appeared to target Hezbollah’s security chief.
Lebanon’s PM Calls For Immediate Ceasefire
In a televised address, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that the foreign ministry would request the UN Security Council to pass a resolution demanding an “immediate and full ceasefire.”
He also called for the Lebanese army and peacekeepers to be the only armed forces deployed in the southern region, stating that “Hezbollah is in agreement on this issue,” although the group has yet to publicly respond.
Hezbollah has fought Israel multiple times over the years, while Lebanon’s military, weakened by internal issues, has struggled to confront Israel effectively. Israel’s escalation, following a year of cross-border conflict, has now turned into a full-scale invasion of southern Lebanon, which Israel claims is aimed at securing its northern border.
Since September 23, Israeli strikes have killed over 1,200 people and displaced more than a million, according to Lebanese health ministry data compiled by AFP. Though southern Lebanon’s Shia-majority areas have been the hardest hit, Christian communities near the border have also been caught in the crossfire.
Christian resident Joseph Jarjour, from the border village of Rmeish, described the situation, saying, “When Israel bombards, it flies over our heads. And when Hezbollah fires back, it also whizzes by above.” He added, “We’re peaceful, we don’t have any weapons. We’ve never liked war.”
Ceasefire Calls Growing Louder
Calls for a ceasefire have grown louder. On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to prevent a wider conflict, even as the U.S. continues to provide Israel with significant military aid for its assaults on both Gaza and Lebanon.
The role of UN peacekeepers stationed near Lebanon’s border has been thrust into the spotlight during the escalation, particularly after Israeli forces repeatedly targeted their positions. Lebanon condemned an Israeli attack that reportedly wounded UN peacekeepers, marking the second such incident in two days. Human Rights Watch criticized these Israeli strikes as unlawful, labeling them war crimes.
In Beirut, residents were in shock after Thursday’s airstrike, which appeared to target Hezbollah’s security chief, Wafiq Safa, killing 22 people. A Hezbollah source told AFP that Safa was close to the group’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed last month in another Israeli strike that also leveled several residential buildings.
Local residents, like Bilal Othman, were stunned by the attack’s intensity. Othman, speaking from the affected area, said, “There are a lot of families living here,” many of whom are displaced from southern Lebanon. “Do they (Israel) want to tell us there is no safe place left in this country?”
Hezbollah began firing on Israel in solidarity with Palestinians facing Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The Gaza health ministry reported that Israel’s attacks have killed more than 42,000 people, mostly women and children.
In response, Israel has vowed to shift its military focus to Lebanon, threatening to bring the same level of destruction to Beirut that it has inflicted on Gaza, as part of its efforts to secure its border and enable Israeli citizens to return home.
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