The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensified on Tuesday as Israeli forces launched one of their most aggressive daytime airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. The heavy bombardment also targeted areas in Mount Lebanon province and southern regions of the country, resulting in significant casualties and escalating tensions in the region.
Smoke billowed over Beirut as around a dozen airstrikes struck the Dahiyeh area, a Hezbollah-controlled neighborhood in the southern suburbs of the capital. The Israeli military, after issuing warnings to civilians on social media, announced that it targeted Hezbollah positions and claimed to have dismantled most of the group’s weapons and missile facilities in the area.
Israel maintained that it took measures to minimize civilian casualties and reiterated accusations that Hezbollah embeds its operations within civilian areas, using residents as human shields—allegations that Hezbollah denies.
Violence Spreads Across Borders
In response, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a drone attack aimed at a military base east of Nahariya, a coastal city in northern Israel. The Israeli police confirmed that two people were killed in Nahariya when a residential building was struck. Across northern Israel, residents were forced to seek shelter from drone attacks, with one incident involving a drone hitting the yard of a kindergarten in a Haifa suburb. Fortunately, no children were injured as they had been evacuated to a shelter.
Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi, visiting troops in southern Lebanon, stated that Israeli forces were “operating very strongly” in the country.
Rising Civilian Casualties
The Lebanese health ministry reported heavy casualties from Israeli strikes in various regions. In Mount Lebanon province, eight people were killed in the village of Baalchmay, southeast of Beirut, and fifteen others lost their lives in Joun village in the Chouf district. In southern Lebanon, strikes resulted in the deaths of five people in Tefahta, two in Nabatieh, and one in the coastal city of Tyre. Another individual was killed in a strike in Hermel, located in the northeast of the country.
Since hostilities escalated a year ago, Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of at least 3,287 people in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The majority of these casualties occurred in the last seven weeks. The ministry’s figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, highlighting the severe impact on the Lebanese population.
Hezbollah’s Counteroffensive
Hezbollah announced that its forces had killed more than 100 Israeli soldiers since October 1 and claimed to have compelled Israeli troops to retreat from several towns in southern Lebanon. The group promised further strikes against Israeli military targets as the conflict continues to escalate. The Israeli military reported that Hezbollah fired 55 projectiles into Israel on Tuesday alone.
A Year of Escalating Tensions
The current hostilities were ignited by the Gaza war and have been simmering for nearly a year. In September, Israel intensified its offensive, conducting widespread airstrikes across Lebanon and deploying troops into the southern regions. Israeli actions have resulted in significant destruction, including the flattening of large areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the annihilation of border villages in the south. Israel has also claimed the elimination of several key Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah attacks have resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 civilians and soldiers in northern Israel, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon over the past year, according to Israeli sources.
Humanitarian Concerns and Displacement
The relentless conflict has led to widespread displacement, with many Beirut residents fleeing the southern suburbs since the bombing began. Footage shared on social media depicted missiles demolishing multi-story buildings, sending plumes of debris into the sky. The humanitarian crisis continues to deepen as casualties mount and infrastructure is destroyed, raising international concern over the escalating violence.
Looking Ahead
As both sides exchange heavy fire and rhetoric, the prospects for de-escalation remain uncertain. The international community watches closely, fearing that the conflict could further destabilize the already volatile region. Efforts to broker peace face significant challenges amid deep-seated hostilities and mutual accusations.
Reference(s):
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