A recent airstrike by Israel targeting the municipal headquarters in Nabatiyeh, a significant town in southern Lebanon which serves as the provincial capital, resulted in the tragic deaths of Mayor Ahmed Kahil and at least five other individuals, according to two security sources.
This strike occurred amid escalating worries from the United States regarding the increasing casualties and the looming specter of a wider conflict in the region. Tensions are high as Israel confronts Iran-aligned Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon and also engages with Palestinian militants from Hamas in Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that they carried out airstrikes against numerous Hezbollah positions in the Nabatiyeh area, effectively dismantling critical underground infrastructures. This aggressive military posture has drawn international scrutiny.
In light of the ongoing violence, the United Nations’ special coordinator for Lebanon has called for the protection of civilian life and infrastructure following deadly Israeli attacks on municipal structures in Nabatiyeh.
“The scale of civilian suffering is reaching a level we’ve never witnessed before,” the coordinator remarked, highlighting the humanitarian crisis.
Meanwhile, the Israeli navy has been actively targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, coordinating closely with ground forces, further intensifying the conflict.
Just hours prior, at least one Israeli airstrike was reported to have impacted the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to eyewitness accounts from Reuters, happening shortly after the US expressed its disapproval of the intensity and breadth of Israeli operations in Lebanon’s capital.
Residents in southern Marjayoun, a district of Lebanon, reported hearing two thunderous explosions and saw smoke billowing from two different neighborhoods. This violence followed an early morning evacuation order issued by Israel, which controversially referenced only a single building.
In recent weeks, the Israeli military has conducted a series of airstrikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs, a known Hezbollah stronghold, without providing prior warnings or only alerting certain areas before executing broader attacks.
One notable strike focused on an underground stockpile of Hezbollah weapons in Dahiyeh. The Israeli military asserted, “Prior to the strike, substantial precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties, which included issuing advance warnings to nearby residents.”
According to the United Nations refugee agency, Israeli evacuation directives currently impact over a quarter of Lebanon, a situation that has exacerbated since Israel began its military interventions in the south, ostensibly to counter Hezbollah’s influence.
Amid these developments, various Western nations have advocated for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, as well as in Gaza. However, the United States has reiterated its support for Israel, announcing the deployment of anti-missile systems and troops to the region.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has been quoted calling for greater pressure on Israel’s allies to terminate the ongoing violence. “The president… demanded increased pressure on those supporting the Zionist regime to halt the slaughter in Gaza and Lebanon,” stated Pezeshkian during a call with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, conveyed to reporters that his government has expressed its concerns directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration regarding their recent military campaigns. “We have clearly communicated our apprehensions about the scale of bombardments observed in Beirut over the past weeks, which we find troubling,” he articulated, signaling a shift towards a more critical stance.
Since military operations against Hezbollah militants commenced on October 1, the actions of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL in southern Lebanon have come under scrutiny. UNIFIL positions have been attacked during this time, resulting in injuries to five peacekeepers when two Israeli tanks crashed through one of their bases.
Despite calls from Israel for UNIFIL to withdraw from Hezbollah’s zones, European Union nations contributing to the peacekeeping force remain committed to their mission. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg expressed that they have no intention of retreating despite pressure from Israel.
Israeli military actions show no signs of abating, with the last assault on the capital occurring on October 10, when strikes in close proximity to downtown Beirut claimed 22 lives and entirely flattened buildings in crowded areas.
The geopolitical landscape remains tense, particularly since Iran launched a missile barrage against Israel on October 1, which was a response to a similar incident that occurred in April. Israel vowed retaliation against these aggressions.
In a broader context, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is currently touring Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey, attempting to galvanize regional cooperation to address ongoing violence. This move is part of Tehran’s diplomatic efforts aimed at curbing what they describe as genocide and aggression.
Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah has intensified following the elimination of key figures within the organization, including the influential leader Hassan Nasrallah, marking a significant shift in regional dynamics.
As diplomatic avenues seem to have stalled, the cycle of violence persists. Recent airstrikes in Lebanon have reportedly resulted in at least 2,350 fatalities and left nearly 11,000 injured, per health ministry data. Over 1.2 million have been displaced during this protracted conflict—this figure includes countless women and children.
Conversely, reports indicate that around 50 Israelis, encompassing both military personnel and civilians, have lost their lives during this tumultuous period.
As the situation evolves, volunteers from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent continue to lend their assistance at the Lebanese-Syrian border, showing solidarity amid the ongoing crisis.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
