For two weeks, Hezbollah has been hammered by Israeli forces. The militant group unilaterally embroiled Lebanon in this war by mounting attacks on Israel last October in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza.
Celebratory fireworks illuminated parts of Beirut as Iran executed a significant missile strike against Israel, marking its most intense assault to date.
Israel has garnered numerous adversaries, not only in Lebanon but across the broader region.
The timing of this attack is notable, coinciding with an Israeli incursion into Lebanon, which was characterized by Israeli forces as “limited operations” targeting Hezbollah, the militant organization closely allied with Iran.
Hezbollah is classified as a terrorist organization by the UK, the US, and several other Western nations.
Stay updated: Israel plans to initiate a “significant retaliation against Iran within days.”
The assault occurred during a tumultuous 24-hour period for the so-called Axis of Resistance, during which Israel targeted various groups associated with Iran.
Targets linked to Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen were struck; Iranian-affiliated factions in Syria faced attacks, and Hamas, also supported by Iran, continued to endure bombardment in Gaza.
This escalation adds to the ongoing strikes against Hezbollah, Iran’s closest and strategically vital partner in the region.
It appears that Iran has determined it necessary to assert its influence in response to Israel’s increasing military actions and to relieve pressure on its powerful ally, Hezbollah.
For the past two weeks, Hezbollah has faced relentless assaults from Israeli forces.
The militant group initiated this conflict by launching attacks on Israel last October in support of Hamas in Gaza.
In retaliation, Israel has conducted approximately five times as many strikes within Lebanon, according to data from Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED).
Tehran’s representative at the UN stated on X that the strike against Israel was “Iran’s legal, rational, and legitimate response to the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime,” and also cautioned of a “crushing response” should Israel retaliate.
Israel’s UN representative has swiftly vowed a “severe response” following the Iranian missile strike. The outlook appears grim, with escalation emerging as the prevailing mode of communication.
As I write this, the sound of an Israeli airstrike has just echoed through the southern city of Tyre, leaving the nation on edge for what may come next.
During our earlier visit to Tyre, the atmosphere was notably subdued and deserted, with many shops closed and businesses boarded up.
The Israeli military had previously issued warnings to vehicles against crossing from the northern to southern banks of the Litani River, citing security concerns.
We observed Lebanese army personnel stationed near the river, advising civilians to evacuate the area and refrain from moving further south. One soldier mentioned their involvement in evacuating villages near the Israeli border.
The sight of Israeli forces amassing at their southern border, coupled with reports of “limited operations” within Lebanon, has heightened anxiety among local residents.
According to Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, approximately one million individuals have already been displaced.
However, in the historic city of Tyre, some residents are determined to stay put.
“I’m not leaving,” Elias Barbour asserted. “No matter what happens, we won’t abandon this place. This is my business. Everything we own is here, and we refuse to leave it behind.”
In the village of Ain-el-Delb, located on the outskirts of Sidon, mass funerals continue to take place.
We witnessed the burial of another 13 individuals who lost their lives in the deadliest Israeli attack in nearly a year.
The airstrikes destroyed two residential buildings filled with families, resulting in 45 fatalities, including women and children. Some of the deceased had taken in those displaced by the ongoing conflict.
The villagers are not only mourning but also expressing their anger.
Ellen, a 27-year-old master’s student who paused her studies in France to be with her family, expressed her sentiments: “Everyone is yearning for this to cease, to come to an end. This is our land, our home, our community. All we desire is to live in peace – that is our wish.
“No part of our territory should be attacked. It belongs to us.”
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards reported that the recent ballistic missile strike targeted military installations.
Following this, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a warning: “This is merely a glimpse of our strength. Do not provoke a conflict with Iran.”
What was already a critical situation now appears to have escalated further.
