Smoke billows from the location of an Israeli air strike on the village of Taybeh in southern Lebanon on October 15, 2024. | Photograph by AFP
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israel’s army launched strikes Tuesday on jap Lebanon, official Lebanese media reported, as Hezbollah fought Israeli troopers after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed no mercy for the militant group.
The premier’s pledge on Monday got here a day after a drone assault by the Iran-backed Lebanese group on an Israeli base killed 4 troopers, whereas volunteer rescuers stated one other 60 individuals had been wounded.
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“We are going to proceed to mercilessly strike Hezbollah in all components of Lebanon –- together with Beirut,” Netanyahu stated on a go to to the bottom close to Binyamina, south of Haifa.
Hezbollah stated its “fighters clashed with” Israeli troops Tuesday who had been attempting to infiltrate on the outskirts of Rab Tlatin village.
The group additionally stated it launched missiles at troopers and a barrage of rockets at northern Israel, whereas the army reported sirens blaring close to the border.
Israel’s army, in the meantime, stated its “troops eradicated dozens of terrorists in close-quarters fight” and strikes over the previous day.
Since Israel final month escalated its bombing in Lebanon earlier than sending floor troops throughout the frontier, the battle has killed at the least 1,315 individuals, based on an AFP tally of Lebanese well being ministry figures, although the actual toll is probably going larger.
Israel launched a number of air strikes early Tuesday within the jap Bekaa Valley, placing a hospital in Baalbek metropolis out of service, Lebanon’s official Nationwide Information Company (NNA) reported.
The Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross’s regional director, Nicolas Von Arx, appealed Monday for the safety of ambulances and different well being services and personnel, calling assaults on them “deeply worrying”.
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Israel strikes Lebanon, Hezbollah strongholds
Israeli strikes have focused Hezbollah strongholds in addition to different components of Lebanon, together with a northern Christian-majority village the place at the least 21 individuals had been killed Monday, based on the well being ministry.
Anis Abla, civil defence chief within the southern border city of Marjayoun, stated rescuers had been “exhausted”.
“Our rescue missions have gotten increasingly troublesome, as a result of the strikes are unending and goal us,” stated Abla.
Peacekeepers vow to remain
Israel says it needs to push again Hezbollah with a purpose to safe its northern boundary and permit tens of hundreds of individuals displaced by rocket fireplace since final 12 months to return house safely.
In Kfar Kara, a village in northern Israel, restaurant supervisor Yousef was shaken by the lethal Hezbollah strike on a close-by army base.
“Now they know the place that base is, what if subsequent time they fireplace and are barely astray?” he stated, declining to provide his full title for security causes.
Hezbollah stated it had launched the “squadron of assault drones” in response to Israeli assaults, together with one final week that Lebanon’s well being ministry stated killed at the least 22 individuals in central Beirut.
The group says its strikes are additionally in assist of Palestinian militants Hamas who attacked Israel on October 7 final 12 months, triggering the continuing battle with Israel within the Gaza Strip.
The battle in Lebanon has displaced at the least 690,000 individuals, based on verified figures final week from the Worldwide Group for Migration.
Israel confronted new criticism over accidents and injury sustained by the UN peacekeeping pressure which has been deployed in Lebanon since 1978, after a earlier Israeli invasion.
The UN Safety Council for the primary time on Monday expressed “robust considerations” over peacekeepers being wounded.
UNIFIL has refused Netanyahu’s request for peacekeepers to “get out of hurt’s approach”, with UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix saying the blue helmets will keep of their positions.
‘Blockade’ on north Gaza
Whereas deploying troops into Lebanon, Israel has saved up its bombardment of Gaza the place it has been at battle for the reason that Hamas assault on southern Israel.
That assault resulted within the deaths of 1,206 individuals, largely civilians, based on an AFP tally of official Israeli figures, together with hostages killed in captivity.
Israel’s retaliatory army marketing campaign in Gaza has killed 42,289 individuals, the bulk civilians, based on the well being ministry within the Hamas-run territory. The UN has described the figures as dependable.
At a school-turned-shelter hit by an Israeli strike within the central Nuseirat camp, Fatima al-Azab stated “there isn’t any security anyplace” in Gaza.
“They’re all youngsters, sleeping within the covers, all burned and minimize up, all burned,” she stated following Sunday’s lethal strike.
In northern Gaza, the Israeli army introduced it had successfully laid siege to the Jabalia space because it seeks to rout out Hamas fighters.
“The variety of useless is excessive, and individuals are underneath the rubble, lacking,” stated Muhammad Abu Halima, a 40-year-old Jabalia resident.
Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Jabalia’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, confirmed “a blockade on meals, drugs, medical provides and even gasoline.”
The Israeli army stated it has “eradicated dozens of terrorists over the previous day” in Jabalia.
Regardless of the violence, elsewhere in Gaza the second spherical of a polio vaccination marketing campaign for lots of of hundreds of youngsters started on Monday.
Because the Gaza battle started Israeli forces or settlers have killed lots of of Palestinians within the occupied West Financial institution, with two extra fatalities Monday within the northern metropolis of Jenin.
Iran diplomatic tour
With the battle there and in Lebanon exhibiting no signal of abating, fears of even wider regional battle have seen Iran, which backs Hezbollah and Hamas, interact in diplomatic efforts with allies and different powers.
Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi met a senior official from Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi motion in Oman, his newest cease on a regional diplomatic tour.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned of “a regional battle that might be expensive for everybody,” throughout a gathering with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday.
Israel continues to be weighing its response to an October 1 missile assault by Iran, launched in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Tehran-aligned militant leaders within the area, together with a normal in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
A counterattack would solely goal Iranian army websites, not nuclear or oil services, US media reported Monday citing US officers.
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