Lebanon is facing escalating conflict, witnessing extensive damage to its southern suburbs, the Beqaa Valley and the southern borders’ areas, with no signs of the violence abating
It’s been one year since the October 7 attacks, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel. Just a day before the anniversary, Israel initiated a new air and ground offensive in northern Gaza on Sunday, following a heavy bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking the most intense strikes since Israel escalated its operations against Hezbollah last month.
The dual-front campaign included an overnight airstrike on a mosque in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of 19 people. This surge in military action comes as Israel remains on high alert ahead of memorial events marking the attack a year ago that ignited the ongoing conflict. In that initial Hamas raid, about 1,200 people were killed, and 250 were taken hostage in southern Israel.
Since then, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with over half being women and children, though the figures do not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Meanwhile, airstrikes rocked the southern suburbs of Beirut as Israel targeted what it claimed were Hezbollah positions. Several of the strikes triggered explosions, suggesting ammunition stores were hit, with Lebanon’s National News Agency reporting over 30 strikes in the area. Toxic fumes, debris from destroyed buildings, and continuous evacuation warnings have turned Dahye, Beirut’s southern suburbs, into a danger zone, effectively cutting off residents from returning to their homes. This marks a stark contrast from Lebanon’s state of affairs just a year earlier, in 2023.
The ongoing war has forced many Lebanese residents, particularly those from Beirut’s southern suburbs, to seek shelter in unfurnished houses, schools, and even on the streets, as their homes have been destroyed or rendered inaccessible. With the state largely absent and unable to provide adequate support, these displaced individuals are left to rely on humanitarian aid, which is often insufficient. The deteriorating economic conditions have worsened their plight, leaving them struggling with basic needs like food, water, and medical care, further exacerbating the already fragile situation in a country facing economic collapse.
In Lebanon
Ground invasion: Hezbollah reported that it repelled an Israeli incursion near the town of Adaisseh in southern Lebanon, with clashes continuing following a second attempt, according to two statements released on Saturday.
The militant group stated that Israeli infantry first attempted to advance toward Adaisseh at 11:00 pm on Friday. “Fighters from the Islamic Resistance engaged them, triggering a massive explosion that forced the advancing force to retreat, resulting in casualties among their ranks,” Hezbollah said.
In a second statement, Hezbollah reported that Israeli forces attempted another advance at 1:50 a.m. on Saturday. “Our fighters confronted the advance, and clashes are ongoing,” the statement added.
Humanitarian aid?: Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Friday nearly 157 million dollars in US humanitarian aid to assist those impacted by the conflict in Lebanon and the surrounding region. As Lebanon grapples with mass displacement due to Israel’s ongoing “limited” military campaign, the funding aims to address the urgent needs of both internally displaced people and refugee communities within Lebanon, as well as those fleeing to neighboring Syria.
“This assistance will address the new and existing needs of displaced persons and refugee populations in Lebanon and the communities hosting them,” Blinken said in a statement. “It will also support those escaping to Syria.”
In recent weeks, Israel’s intensified military actions against Hezbollah have displaced hundreds of thousands, with more than 100,000 Lebanese and Syrians crossing into Syria, according to the United Nations. While US officials back Israel’s military operations, they have expressed concerns about the escalating humanitarian crisis.
UN rejection: The United Nations rejected a request from Israel to relocate some of its peacekeepers stationed near the Lebanese border just days before Israel launched its ground operation earlier this week.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, received a request from the Israeli military to vacate several positions near the Blue Line, the demarcation zone between Israel and Lebanon, which has been the focal point of intense fighting in recent months, according to Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.
Lacroix explained during a briefing on Thursday that the UN had already anticipated the possibility of Israeli “targeted ground operations” in Lebanon but decided against relocating. “We carefully considered the situation and concluded, after thorough discussions, that it was in the best interest of UNIFIL, the peacekeepers, and our mandate to remain in those positions,” he said.
Bachoura strike: One of the airstrikes killed at least nine people in downtown Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. The explosion ignited a fire in a residential building in the Bachoura neighborhood, located near the United Nations headquarters, the Prime Minister’s office, and the Parliament. A Hezbollah relief center was reportedly targeted. Residents of Beirut reported a sulfur-like smell in the city following the airstrike.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency later accused Israel of using phosphorus bombs, which are internationally banned. However, this claim has not been verified at this time.
Jordan FM visit: Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned on Monday that Israel’s actions are driving the region toward the brink of a full-scale war. During his visit to Lebanon, where Israel has been targeting Hezbollah positions, Safadi expressed deep concern.
“The Israeli aggression, which began in Gaza and has now extended into Lebanon, is pushing the entire region towards the abyss of a full-blown regional conflict,” Safadi said at a press conference in Beirut.
In The Region
Iran retaliation: In a rare speech on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would escalate its strikes against Israel if necessary, following the country’s largest-ever attack on its adversary earlier this week. A senior Iranian commander also hinted that future strikes could target Israel’s energy infrastructure.
The region is now bracing for Israel’s potential response to the Iranian missile barrage, as Israeli officials have yet to provide the US with assurances that they won’t target Iranian nuclear sites.
In Gaza: Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday targeted a mosque and a school-turned-shelter, according to the military, as Israel intensified its bombing campaigns in northern Gaza and southern Lebanon in its broader conflict with Iranian-backed groups.
The military stated that the strikes hit two buildings in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah,which it described as Hamas “command and control centers” embedded within civilian areas, though no evidence was provided to support these claims. According to Gaza’s health ministry, 26 Palestinians were killed, and dozens more were wounded in the attack.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official based in Qatar, delivered a speech marking one year since Hamas led its attacks on Israel on October 7. Following the assassination of Hamas’s political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, Hayya has gradually assumed a more prominent role within the group. In addition to his address tonight, Hayya, who maintains a close relationship with Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s most influential figure, recently delivered two other speeches. In these, he eulogized Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and outlined Hamas’s stance on cease-fire negotiations.
In his speech, Hayya reaffirmed that Hamas would stand firm on key issues in the Gaza cease-fire talks. “What we rejected yesterday, we will not accept tomorrow,” he said. “What the occupation failed to impose by force, it will not achieve at the negotiating table.” Hamas continues to demand a permanent end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Aid from the Emirates: The UAE has initiated a 100 million dollar relief campaign to assist the people of Lebanon amid the ongoing Israeli escalation, as reported by the state news agency WAM.
Launched under the slogan “UAE Stands with Lebanon,” the campaign includes the dispatch of an aircraft carrying 40 tones of urgent medical aid to Lebanon in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, stated that the flight underscores the UAE’s commitment to supporting communities affected by the war. She emphasized the UAE’s vision to provide all possible humanitarian aid to address the critical needs of the most vulnerable populations.
Iran’s commander mystery: Iran Masjedi, a senior official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force, reassured that its commander, General Esmail Qaani, is in good health and performing his duties. This statement follows speculation about Qaani’s fate after Israeli strikes in Beirut, where two Iranian officials claimed he was present and lost contact after the attacks.
What We’re Reading
Paying the price: Journalist Rodayna Raydan reports that the death of Hassan Nasrallah is a significant setback for Hezbollah and its supporters. The group is currently facing challenges as it attempts to regroup and determine its next steps in coordination with Iran and other allies across the Middle East.
The recent setbacks over the past eight weeks have been particularly difficult for the organization, but Nasrallah’s assassination is seen as the most profound blow to Hezbollah, especially given that it occurred in Dahieh, a suburb of Beirut and the location of the group’s headquarters.
Lebanon in the crossfire: The Middle East is once again at a critical juncture, with recent developments escalating conflict and potentially altering power dynamics. Israel’s military actions, particularly the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, signify a strategic escalation. However, both Iran and the US seem hesitant to engage directly; Iran remains focused on the nuclear deal, while the US navigates its internal politics ahead of the presidential election. This reluctance leaves Lebanon vulnerable, caught between larger geopolitical forces and its own internal instability.
Waiting for a long time: Journalist Maan Barazy highlights the diverse experiences of displaced individuals in the current crisis. Some people with means have moved into luxury apartments or hotels, while those with connections have secured refuge in empty units. Others have managed to find spots in public schools on a first-come, first-served basis. However, many families are left behind, stranded without money, vehicles, or fuel to escape.
This situation underscores the ineffectiveness of the Lebanese government’s emergency plan for the South, which was intended to help people navigate the conflict and ensure their safety. Instead, the plan appears to be poorly conceived, akin to something hastily scribbled on a napkin, proving ineffective in practice, much like trying to drink soup with a fork.
