The Lebanese Ministry of Health has reported tragic news, indicating that Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the death of 21 individuals in eastern Lebanon, marking a significant escalation in violence that has persisted for nearly a week.
According to the ministry’s statement, “The raids carried out by the Israeli forces in the Baalbek-Hemel region have left 21 dead and 47 injured,” providing a preliminary count as heavy bombardment continues in the Baalbek vicinity, noted an AFP reporter.
In its ongoing military campaign, Israel has targeted more locations in Lebanon, exerting pressure on Hezbollah following the assassination of key figures, including the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. This spate of attacks represents a dangerous intensification of hostilities, leading to a rapid succession of losses for Hezbollah, which has not only suffered significant leadership blows but also faced exposure of its vulnerabilities.
The body of Nasrallah was recovered intact following the airstrike on Friday, confirmed a medical and security source to Reuters.
In the wake of Nasrallah’s death, who perished in an airstrike over Beirut, Hezbollah retaliated with a barrage of rockets targeting Israel. Simultaneously, Iran vowed to exact revenge for his killing.
The soaring intensity of Israel’s bombardments has sparked widespread alarm, with fears growing that the current conflict could spiral out of control. Such a scenario might draw in not only Iran but also the United States, Israel’s staunchest ally.
During his 32 years in leadership, Nasrallah transformed Hezbollah into a formidable power within Lebanese politics and strengthened its status as a pivotal component of Iran’s alliance network across the Arab world.
The absence of mourning protocols regarding his funeral has yet to be announced by Hezbollah.
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Many supporters of the group, alongside other Lebanese citizens who appreciate Hezbollah’s long-standing role in resisting Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon, are now in mourning. “We mourn the leader who infused us with the power and hope that our beloved little nation could transform into a paradise,” stated Sophia Blanche Rouillard, a Lebanese Christian woman, as she carried a black flag while commuting in Beirut.
The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel marks yet another brutal chapter in a complex history of conflict spanning four decades. This conflict unfolds against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza, initiated after Hamas’s strike on Israel on October 7th.
Israel’s declared objective is to secure its northern territories from Hezbollah’s rocket aggression and enable displaced citizens to return home. Yet, these airstrikes have imposed severe humanitarian repercussions on the civilian population in Lebanon.
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, the past fortnight has witnessed the deaths of over 1,000 Lebanese individuals and upwards of 6,000 injured, with no detailed account of how many were civilians.
The government has reported a staggering one million individuals—approximately 20% of the population—have fled their homes in search of safety. In Beirut, numerous displaced families have sought refuge for the night on benches at Zaitunay Bay, a promenade lined with restaurants and cafes that overlook the water.
One Beirut local, Francoise Azori, expressed resilience despite the turmoil: “No matter what you do—bombing, displacing us— we will not be eradicated. This is our homeland, and we shall remain.”
The UN World Food Programme announced it has commenced an emergency operation geared towards supplying food for those caught in the conflict’s crossfire.
In terms of military actions, Israel’s forces stated their air force targeted numerous sites earlier today, including weapon launchers and stockpiles, while its navy intercepted eight projectiles originating from Lebanon, as well as one from the Red Sea.
Drones buzzed ominously over various parts of Beirut throughout the night and into the day. The loss of Nasrallah marked a challenging fortnight for Hezbollah, which began with the explosion of thousands of pagers utilized by its members, leading to at least nine fatalities.
This cataclysm was soon followed by further walkie-talkie explosions that killed 20 individuals in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs. Though Israel is widely suspected of orchestrating these events, it has refrained from outright confirmation.
Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border, and southern Beirut have also claimed the lives of several of the group’s senior commanders, including Nabil Kaouk, whose death Hezbollah acknowledged.
The specter of broader conflict looms as tensions escalate. Israel has readied its reserve brigades and declared its preparedness for a variety of scenarios, including ground operations.
Hezbollah has asserted it will only cease fire once Israel concludes its offensive against Gaza.
According to Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari, Nasrallah’s “removal contributes to a safer global environment.” Conversely, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref condemned the “unjust bloodshed” and warned that the elimination of Nasrallah heralds Israel’s imminent demise.
Hamas condemned the killing as a “cowardly act of terrorism” while Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, and Syria entered periods of public mourning. Additionally, Yemen’s Huthi rebels reported firing a missile aimed at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, coinciding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return from New York.
Diplomatic negotiations appear stagnant, with Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary relaying that discussions for a ceasefire persist.
When pressed about a possible Israeli ground offensive, US President Joe Biden asserted that “the time has come for a ceasefire,” albeit he recognized Nasrallah’s killing as a form of justice for the victims of Hezbollah’s previous attacks.
In Iran, where tensions run high and discussions have been ongoing since the group’s inception in the early 1980s, senior officials mourned the loss of a prominent Revolutionary Guards member who perished alongside Nasrallah. Urgent calls for a UN Security Council meeting to address Israel’s actions have been made by Tehran.
Following Nasrallah’s assassination, reports suggested that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been relocated to a secure site within Iran.
Hezbollah’s arsenal has long been a topic of debate in Lebanon, a nation with a tumultuous history punctuated by civil wars. Critics argue the group has embroiled the country in regional disputes while weakening the state. Nevertheless, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Lebanon’s preeminent Christian leader, remarked that Nasrallah’s death has “inflicted a wound in the soul of the Lebanese people.” Previously, Mr. Rai has voiced concerns regarding Hezbollah’s role, accusing it of dragging Lebanon into larger conflicts that threaten its stability.
Nasrallah’s leadership defined the volatile decades of conflict with Israel, leaving a complex legacy for Lebanon as it navigates this fraught historical landscape.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
