Tag: Lebanon

In the face of this information war, the Lebanese media have a key role to play. By spreading unfounded rumors, they risk falling into the trap set by Israel: deepening divisions and inciting revolt against the refugees, who include the Shiite community and not only those close to Hezbollah but also Sunnis, Druze and Christians. In the end, it is all the Lebanese, regardless of their communities, who are targeted, especially since Netanyahu threatens Lebanon to become a new Gaza, and therefore all Lebanese. The Lebanese who are not refugees today will be able to be refugees tomorrow and this imposes on us a duty of solidarity and responsibility.

The recent bombing of the Masnaa crossing has raised concerns about the security of trade routes for Lebanese exports and imports, not to mention of course the safety of travelers. This passage is particularly important for the transport of goods between Lebanon and neighbouring Arab countries.

Lebanon's Health Ministry has released a new toll of Israel's aggression on Lebanon, lamenting the death of 36 people in Tuesday's strikes. This brings the total death toll since the beginning of hostilities to 2,119, with more than 10,019 injured. The areas most affected by Israeli strikes are the governorates of Nabatieh, South, Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel. The Israeli strikes have not only killed civilians, but they have also destroyed critical infrastructure, resulting in the displacement of more than a million people across the country.

The situation in southern Lebanon continues to deteriorate amid intense clashes between Israeli forces and Hizbullah. In the past few hours, several major events have taken place in this region already battered by fighting, while violence continues in other areas affected by Israeli strikes.

This alarming rhetoric, designed to deter the Lebanese and weaken the resistance, also reveals a stalemate in the face of Hezbollah's resilience in southern Lebanon, a territory much larger than Gaza, which covers 10,452 square kilometers. Comparatively, Gaza, with its 365 km², seems tiny. Yet, after more than a year of strikes, blockades, and incessant conflicts, Hamas continues to stand up to Israel, even launching salvos of rockets at Tel Aviv, like the one yesterday, October 7, a year after the beginning of the events.

Since the beginning of the military escalation in October 2023, the war between Israel and Lebanon has not been played out solely on the...

The Israeli army recently released photos that purported to prove its control over Maroun el Ras, a strategic village on the border between Lebanon and Israel. The photos show an Israeli flag being raised in a garden in Maroun el Ras, a symbolic act meant to represent Israeli control of the community. However, fact-checking revealed that the footage was taken about 300 meters from the Blue Line, the internationally recognized border between Lebanon and Israel. The garden in question is a public park located in the southern part of the village, which does not prove that Israeli forces control the entire community.

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Israel, meanwhile, seems determined to continue its military operations until it achieves its goals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that as long as Israel's existence is threatened, the fighting will continue. He stressed the need to continue the war against Hezbollah and prevent any strategic threat from Gaza or Lebanon.

As Lebanon goes through one of the most serious crises in its recent history, Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport remains a crucial infrastructure, not only for the delivery of humanitarian aid, but also for maintaining a minimum of connections with the outside world. However, as military tensions escalate with Israel, the airport is becoming increasingly vulnerable and at the heart of the Lebanese government's security concerns.

This morning, October 7, 2024, the situation in Lebanon is marked by an unprecedented intensification of Israeli strikes, while Hezbollah and Palestinian armed factions are responding with constant rocket fire in the direction of Israel. The fighting is particularly concentrated in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, but also on other fronts, including Gaza and along the Lebanese-Israeli border. At the same time, Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport is becoming a major concern, both for its security and for its critical role in the delivery of humanitarian aid.

At around 12:00 p.m., the Israeli authorities issued evacuation orders for several localities in southern Lebanon. Among the villages concerned are Houla, Mays al-Jabal, Blida, Shaqra, Baraachit, and Taybeh. The orders were aimed at protecting Lebanese civilians as clashes continued to escalate, according to the Israeli army. Thousands of people have fled their homes, taking refuge in safer areas in the north, although reception infrastructure is largely insufficient to deal with this IDP crisis.

On Saturday night, the Israeli air force launched more than 30 airstrikes on neighborhoods in the southern suburbs of Beirut, including Burj al-Barajneh, Ghobeiry, Haret Hreik, and the area around Beirut International Airport. Initial reports point to numerous buildings being hit, including civilian and media infrastructure, such as the studios of the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar channel.

Since the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in late September in a series of Israeli strikes, Israel appears to be focusing its efforts on eliminating senior Hezbollah officials. Although Hezbollah has denied the death of Safi Al-Din, saying it is rumours aimed at demoralising its supporters, communications with him have been interrupted since the strikes. According to information reported by Al-Diyar, the situation is particularly tense in Beirut, where Israeli forces continue to bomb targets believed to be linked to Hezbollah, preventing rescue teams from reaching the affected areas.