Israel launched intense airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Wednesday, targeting towns where the militant group Hezbollah maintains influence. The strikes, which resulted in dozens of casualties, come amid an ongoing 13-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has claimed more than 3,000 lives in Lebanon alone, with a significant escalation since Israeli ground forces entered southern Lebanon on October 1.
In a prerecorded statement, Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Kassem, issued a stark warning to Israel, vowing to continue the resistance until Israel “seeks to demand an end to the aggression.” Kassem hinted at the potential for indirect negotiations, should Israel halt its operations.
The strikes hit Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs and multiple locations in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel governorate. Governor Bachir Khodr, who reported the casualty numbers, said rescue operations continue amid the rubble left by at least 40 Israeli raids. In response, Hezbollah launched rockets at northern and central Israel, with air-raid sirens sounding as far south as Tel Aviv.
The conflict’s repercussions are also being felt in Gaza, where Israeli incursions against Hamas in the north have led to the displacement of over 100,000 civilians, according to U.N. estimates.
UNRWA Faces Scrutiny as Israel Targets Agency’s Role in Gaza
In the United Nations, UNRWA, the U.N. agency dedicated to supporting Palestinian refugees, is facing an existential threat as Israel’s parliament moves to ban its operations in Gaza. Established in 1949, UNRWA plays a central role in the humanitarian aid infrastructure for Palestinians, with a significant presence in Gaza.
UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini issued a plea for international intervention, warning that dismantling the agency would plunge Palestinian territories into deeper chaos. Israeli officials allege UNRWA’s complicity with Hamas and accuse the agency of harboring staff with ties to terrorist activities, though UNRWA maintains that no concrete evidence has been presented.
The proposed Israeli legislation has sparked a backlash from international representatives. General Assembly President Philemon Yang condemned the move, while ambassadors from several states expressed alarm at the precedent this could set for the United Nations’ autonomy.
“The eviction of a U.N. agency by the decision of a single member state would set an alarming precedent,” Belgian Ambassador Philippe Kridelka stated, representing a coalition of 16 countries supporting UNRWA’s role.
