Sunday, 22 December, 2024
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 47 people in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, according to Lebanese officials, as Israel intensified its campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The escalation came amid efforts by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein to push forward ceasefire negotiations. Hochstein, who visited Lebanon on Tuesday and described a ceasefire as "within our grasp," met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, though no statements were issued following the talks.
A senior Lebanese official told Reuters that while progress had been made, significant gaps remained in the ceasefire discussions. Beirut has proposed changes to the U.S. ceasefire plan, specifically calling for a quicker withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
The diplomacy marks the most serious attempt yet to end the conflict between Israel and the heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah, part of the regional spillover of the Gaza war that erupted more than a year ago.
Bachir Khodr, governor of Lebanon's Baalbek-Hermel province, said at least 47 were killed and 22 wounded in Israeli strikes in the Baalbek region. Posting on X, he said rescue operations were underway. The region bordering Syria is an area of Lebanon where Shi'ite Islamist Hezbollah holds sway.
Beirut shook as Israeli airstrikes hit the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs about a dozen times, sending up clouds of debris, in some of the most intense airstrikes yet.
Residents have largely fled the area since Israel went on the offensive against Hezbollah in September.
The Israeli army said its strikes were against Hezbollah infrastructure and that it had mitigated civilian harm through advance warnings and other steps.
In Israel, a 30-year-old man was killed when shrapnel from a rocket struck a playground in the northern town of Nahariya, Israel's MDA medical service said.
Nahariya Mayor Criticizes Israeli Security Amid Rocket Attacks from Lebanon
Nahariya Mayor Ronen Marelly expressed frustration with the Israeli government’s handling of security, stating that it is failing to protect the town and its residents from ongoing threats. "The Israeli government is not safeguarding my security, my residents, or the residents of the north," Marelly told public broadcaster Kan. "It is not possible to live in such a situation."
The Israeli military reported that about 10 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Nahariya, with most being intercepted. However, Channel 12 confirmed that three rockets hit the coastal town. Hezbollah’s al-Manar television also reported rocket fire targeting Nahariya and surrounding areas.
In response to the escalating violence, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, who recently visited Lebanon, traveled to Israel to continue negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire. Hochstein, who met with Lebanese officials including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, emphasized that progress had been made but that gaps remained, particularly regarding the speed of Israeli forces' withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Heavy Fighting and Devastation in Southern Lebanon
The ongoing conflict has led to significant devastation in Lebanon, with Israel launching airstrikes across much of the country. Al Jazeera footage showed thick smoke rising from the town of Khiyam in southern Lebanon, which has become a focal point for intense ground battles between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops.
Israel's primary objective has been to secure the return of tens of thousands of displaced residents from northern Israel, who were evacuated due to rocket attacks by Hezbollah, which began supporting Hamas during the Gaza war in October 2023. Despite suffering major setbacks, Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets into Israel, including an attack on Tel Aviv this week, while its fighters engage in ground combat with Israeli troops in the south.
Casualties and Toll
The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that 3,583 people have been killed in Lebanon since the escalation in September 2023, with the majority of casualties resulting from Israel's military operations. The figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians. On Wednesday, 25 new fatalities were reported. In northern Israel and the Golan Heights, more than 100 people have died due to Hezbollah strikes, including over 70 Israeli soldiers killed during attacks and ground combat in southern Lebanon.
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Israeli airstrikes killed at least 47 people in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, according to Lebanese officials, as Israel intensified its campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The escalation came amid efforts by U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein to push forward ceasefire negotiations. Hochstein, who visited Lebanon on Tuesday and described a ceasefire as "within our grasp," met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, though no statements were issued following the talks.
A senior Lebanese official told Reuters that while progress had been made, significant gaps remained in the ceasefire discussions. Beirut has proposed changes to the U.S. ceasefire plan, specifically calling for a quicker withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
The diplomacy marks the most serious attempt yet to end the conflict between Israel and the heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah, part of the regional spillover of the Gaza war that erupted more than a year ago.
Bachir Khodr, governor of Lebanon's Baalbek-Hermel province, said at least 47 were killed and 22 wounded in Israeli strikes in the Baalbek region. Posting on X, he said rescue operations were underway. The region bordering Syria is an area of Lebanon where Shi'ite Islamist Hezbollah holds sway.
Beirut shook as Israeli airstrikes hit the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs about a dozen times, sending up clouds of debris, in some of the most intense airstrikes yet.
Residents have largely fled the area since Israel went on the offensive against Hezbollah in September.
The Israeli army said its strikes were against Hezbollah infrastructure and that it had mitigated civilian harm through advance warnings and other steps.
In Israel, a 30-year-old man was killed when shrapnel from a rocket struck a playground in the northern town of Nahariya, Israel's MDA medical service said.
Nahariya Mayor Criticizes Israeli Security Amid Rocket Attacks from Lebanon
Nahariya Mayor Ronen Marelly expressed frustration with the Israeli government’s handling of security, stating that it is failing to protect the town and its residents from ongoing threats. "The Israeli government is not safeguarding my security, my residents, or the residents of the north," Marelly told public broadcaster Kan. "It is not possible to live in such a situation."
The Israeli military reported that about 10 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards Nahariya, with most being intercepted. However, Channel 12 confirmed that three rockets hit the coastal town. Hezbollah’s al-Manar television also reported rocket fire targeting Nahariya and surrounding areas.
In response to the escalating violence, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, who recently visited Lebanon, traveled to Israel to continue negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire. Hochstein, who met with Lebanese officials including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, emphasized that progress had been made but that gaps remained, particularly regarding the speed of Israeli forces' withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Heavy Fighting and Devastation in Southern Lebanon
The ongoing conflict has led to significant devastation in Lebanon, with Israel launching airstrikes across much of the country. Al Jazeera footage showed thick smoke rising from the town of Khiyam in southern Lebanon, which has become a focal point for intense ground battles between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops.
Israel's primary objective has been to secure the return of tens of thousands of displaced residents from northern Israel, who were evacuated due to rocket attacks by Hezbollah, which began supporting Hamas during the Gaza war in October 2023. Despite suffering major setbacks, Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets into Israel, including an attack on Tel Aviv this week, while its fighters engage in ground combat with Israeli troops in the south.
Casualties and Toll
The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that 3,583 people have been killed in Lebanon since the escalation in September 2023, with the majority of casualties resulting from Israel's military operations. The figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians. On Wednesday, 25 new fatalities were reported. In northern Israel and the Golan Heights, more than 100 people have died due to Hezbollah strikes, including over 70 Israeli soldiers killed during attacks and ground combat in southern Lebanon.
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