Attacks on People in Lebanon Under Threat of Israeli Attack – Global Issues
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 03 (IPS) – On 23 September, Israel began airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. According to the statements of the Israel Defense Force (IDP), about 3,600 sites were hit, making this the deadliest air campaign in Lebanon in the last 20 years.
Reports from the Lebanese government indicate that the latest attack has killed around 1,400 people, including top Hezbollah officials Hasan Nasrallah and Nabil Kaouk. In response, Hezbollah launched a series of rockets and drones at Israeli bases, most of which were intercepted. As recently as October 2, the group carried out a missile strike on an Israeli military base near Tel Aviv.
The death toll is expected to rise as the bombing continues with no signs of a ceasefire. Yesterday, October 2, Israel launched a ground attack on the southern borders of Lebanon, sending about 10,000 soldiers to the north.
Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University of Beirut, added that Israel’s attack on Lebanon is an attempt to weaken Hezbollah’s response to global attacks with little resistance.
“Once they feel that they have weakened the resistance of Hezbollah enough, they will attack. They will focus on Hezbollah’s assets,” he said.
Entire apartment blocks in Beirut were destroyed, forcing thousands to leave their homes. The United Nations reports that nearly 900,000 people were displaced, with 260,000 internally displaced and 100,000 to Syria. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said mass displacement is expected to increase in the coming days as the IDF issued evacuation orders in 30 villages in southern Lebanon between yesterday and today.
In addition, medical facilities in Lebanon are struggling to help on the front lines. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that more than 30 primary health centers in the most affected areas have been closed due to damage and insecurity.
Mohamed Arkadan, spokesman for the emergency services in Lebanon, said, “About a dozen flats fell down the mountain when they were unattended, burying more than 100 people”. Arkadan and his team pulled more than 40 bodies from the rubble, including those of children.
This attack caused a lot of psychological damage in Lebanon, especially on the frontline and emergency services. Dr. Basil Abdallah, medical director of Rayak Hospital, Lebanon, explained: “Seeing children being bombed, seeing elderly patients and women being bombed, it’s difficult. Most of the nurses and doctors are depressed. We have feelings. We are human beings. “.
Karim Bitar, a professor of international relations at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, described Israel’s tactics as “psychological warfare”.
Aid organizations fear that the increasing indiscriminate attacks are a sign of war.
“The way Israel fights is markedly different from that of its allies in terms of frequency and intensity of strikes,” said Emily Tripp, director of Airwars, a British non-profit organization that tracks casualties from international conflicts. “The U.S. dropped 500 weapons in a single day during its 2017 campaign against the Islamic State in Raqqa. Israel far exceeded this bombardment, reporting 1,600 targeted strikes on September 23 alone.”
Earlier this morning, UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke with the Prime Minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati, confirming that the UN is fully mobilized to provide direct humanitarian aid to the affected areas. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided essential needs in more than 200 shelters. WHO is providing medical staff in Lebanon with financial and technical assistance. The World Food Program (WFP) provided hot food and emergency cash to 10,000 households. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will maintain its position and adjust its operations according to its mission.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service