The Israeli army carried out intense air raids on Saturday against Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, the day after the announcement of the examination by Lebanese leaders of a truce proposal issued by the United States.
Israel says it wants to put Hezbollah and Hamas, two allies of Iran, its sworn enemy, out of harm’s way. He says his goal in Lebanon is to keep Hezbollah away from the border regions and to stop its rocket attacks that have displaced some 60,000 residents of northern Israel.
This Saturday, a series of strikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, after a call to evacuate from the Israeli army which said it had targeted “a weapons warehouse, a command center” of Hezbollah. National agency reports Israeli strike “very violent” on the southern suburbs of Beirut
The only faction to retain its weapons at the end of the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), in the name of “resistance” against Israel, Hezbollah, created and financed by Iran, has established itself as an essential political force in the Lebanon.
Its former leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israel on September 27 in the southern suburbs of Beirut, was considered the most powerful man in the country.
65 projectiles fired from Lebanon
In southern Lebanon, several towns including Tire and villages were the target of intense Israeli strikes, according to media reports. Two rescuers linked to Hezbollah and its Shiite ally Amal died, according to the Ministry of Health.
Despite the hard blows inflicted on Hezbollah, the latter claimed responsibility for rocket fire against northern Israel, where the army reported 65 projectiles fired from Lebanon during the day.
In addition to incessant aerial bombardments, Israeli troops have been carrying out a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since September 30.
23 dead in Gaza
On Israel’s southern front, the army continues to bombard the Gaza Strip which is devastated, besieged and threatened with famine according to the UN.
Israeli troops are continuing their offensive in northern Gaza to prevent Hamas from regrouping its forces there, according to the army.
According to Civil Defense, 23 people including women and children were killed in strikes, notably on houses and a school housing displaced people in the south and north of the Palestinian territory.
Hezbollah’s response
The Israeli army announced on Saturday that a synagogue had been hit in a “major barrage of rockets” fired by the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah on the city of Haifa (northwest), leaving two injured.
“This is another clear example of how Hezbollah deliberately targets Israeli civilians” from the south of Lebanon, announced in a press release the army which, in another press release, mentioned “environ 10 projectiles” fired on Haifa Bay, some of which were intercepted.
For its part, Hezbollah says it has targeted military bases in and near Haifa in northern Israel.
tensions in the Middle East Middle East Israel Lebanon attacks Beirut
