People are forced to sleep on the streets as Israel bombs Lebanon for a seventh day

Al Jazeera English

Israeli jets have continued attacking targets across Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut, for a seventh day, with Lebanese officials saying the nonstop bombardment had left up to a million people in the streets.
Overall, Lebanon’s Health Ministry says more than 1,000 Lebanese have been killed and 6,000 wounded in the past two weeks.
Speaking for the first time since the assassination of Nasrallah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there are now two war goals for northern Israel bordering Lebanon.
“Israeli officials were saying all day on Saturday that they are determined to destroy Hezbollah and destroy all of its military capabilities.
Does he accept what Hezbollah has long said – that if Israel stops the destruction of Gaza, then residents of northern Israel can return to their homes?

NEGATIVE

After seven days of nonstop bombardment, Lebanese officials claim that up to a million people were left in the streets as Israeli jets continued to strike targets throughout Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut.

As tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate, Lebanon’s acting prime minister, Najib Mikati, stated on Sunday that the country may be experiencing its “worst displacement crisis” in history as a result of Israel’s intense attacks.

The Israeli military earlier claimed that its fighter jets had conducted numerous airstrikes throughout Lebanon and targeted Hezbollah targets, such as weapons storage facilities and rocket launchers.

The National News Agency of Lebanon reports that an airstrike on a home in the northeastern town of Ain in the Bekaa Valley resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people. Reporting from Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said that a civil defense center in a small town just outside the Tyre governorate was hit, resulting in four fatalities and multiple injuries.

In the last two weeks, over 1,000 Lebanese have died and 6,000 have been injured, according to the country’s health ministry.

A day after Hezbollah confirmed the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an attack on a heavily populated civilian area of southern Beirut on Friday, the Israeli military also announced on Sunday the death of senior official Nabil Kaouk. Hezbollah also declared on Sunday that Kaouk had been killed.

Mikati stated that a diplomatic resolution was the only way to put an end to the conflict. “Diplomacy is the only option available to us. “.

Hezbollah, which has been fighting Israel across the border since last October, has suffered a severe blow as a result of the recent assassinations of multiple senior commanders. The group, which is supported by Iran, has demanded an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the Palestinians’ right to remain in their besieged and bombarded territory, where over 41,500 people have died as a result of Israeli attacks over the course of nearly a year.

The death of Hezbollah chieftain and Revolutionary Guards Deputy Commander Abbas Nilforoushan was met with “will not go unanswered,” according to Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday. “.

The foreign ministry released a statement quoting him as saying, “This horrible crime of the aggressor Zionist regime will not go unanswered, and the diplomatic apparatus will also use all its political, diplomatic, legal, and international capacities to pursue the criminals and their supporters.”.

One of the biggest blows Israel has ever dealt to Hezbollah is the death of Nasrallah, the man who oversaw the Lebanese organization for more than 30 years and turned it into a formidable force.

Zeina Khodr of Al Jazeera, reporting from Beirut, stated that Hezbollah is experiencing a turning moment “both at an organizational level and at the popular level.”.

Despite not holding a public position, Hassan Nasrallah was without a doubt regarded as possibly the most powerful person in Lebanon, the speaker stated.

It is imperative for Hezbollah to demonstrate that its leadership and command structure remain intact. “.

Is Israel launching an invasion of Lebanon?

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi stated on Saturday that Israeli troops were ready for what was to come and that Lebanese citizens had been ordered to evacuate for their safety, suggesting that Israel may be about to invade Lebanon on foot.

Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel stated that there are now two war objectives for northern Israel that borders Lebanon, in remarks made for the first time since Nasrallah’s murder.

The first step is to send the Israelis who were evacuated back to their northern towns and settlements. According to Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, the second goal is to reestablish the balance of power along the northern border.

Throughout the day on Saturday, Israeli officials reiterated their resolve to eliminate Hezbollah and all of its military forces. Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, and the chief of staff of the Israeli army have approved fresh plans for offensive tactics in the north, according to Salhut.

This is happening in the midst of widespread anxiety on both sides of the border over the possibility of a ground invasion into southern Lebanon. “.

In the meantime, US President Joe Biden declared on Saturday that a ceasefire was necessary.

When reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware questioned Biden about the likelihood of an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, he said, “It’s time for a ceasefire.”. “.

Biden responded, “We’re responding,” when asked if the US would retaliate for missile attacks on its warships in the Red Sea. “.

Biden’s remarks raised a number of concerns, according to Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi, who was reporting from Washington, DC.

Rattansi questioned, “When he says he’s for a ceasefire, does he mean a complete ceasefire? Does he accept what Hezbollah has long said – that if Israel stops the destruction of Gaza, then residents of northern Israel can return to their homes? Or is he accepting the argument from Israel that the only way to de-escalate is to escalate? Reportedly, there are proponents of that strategy in the administration.”.

“The administration has stated repeatedly that it opposes actions that Israel subsequently takes, even though we have heard them state that they are against an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. “.

The Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed on Friday to have attacked three US Navy warships, as well as the Israeli cities of Ashkelon and Tel Aviv, with missiles and drones.

In what they refer to as a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli attack in Gaza, the Houthis have been firing at Israel on a regular basis and attacking Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait since November.

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