On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of three Lebanese soldiers who were in the process of evacuating wounded civilians from the village of Yater. The incident occurred around 4:15 a.m. local time, and while the Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike, it has previously stated that it does not target the Lebanese army. This incident is part of the ongoing conflict, which escalated following Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, in response to the recent Gaza war.
According to Lebanese officials, Israel’s offensive has claimed the lives of over 2,500 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million individuals. In response to this crisis, France is hosting a conference aimed at garnering international support for the Lebanese military, which is viewed as crucial for any potential diplomatic resolution to the conflict. The Lebanese army, which has received training and support from the United States, struggles to exert authority in regions controlled by Hezbollah. It represents a diverse mix of Lebanon’s sectarian communities and has played a significant role in maintaining civil peace since the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1990.
The Paris conference seeks to emphasize that U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, should serve as a foundation for halting current hostilities. During a meeting on Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concerns to his Israeli counterpart regarding attacks on the Lebanese armed forces and encouraged Israel to ensure the safety of both the Lebanese military and U.N. peacekeeping personnel stationed in the region. A security source reported that since the hostilities escalated last year, 13 Lebanese army soldiers have died while on duty, with an additional 16 fatalities occurring at home.
Israel initiated its military campaign in Lebanon to ensure the return of tens of thousands of Israeli citizens who had evacuated northern areas due to Hezbollah’s cross-border rocket assaults. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while on a regional tour aimed at advocating for an end to violence in both Gaza and Lebanon, chose to send a deputy to the Paris meeting rather than attend in person.
The Israeli military reported significant successes against Hezbollah, including the deaths of high-ranking commanders and the targeting of over 160 sites linked to the group. A think tank specializing in Hezbollah’s operations noted that 29 Israeli civilians had lost their lives due to Hezbollah’s attacks in the past year. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that 52 of its soldiers have died, with at least 25 fatalities occurring since the beginning of the recent ground operations.
In a notable development, Hezbollah indicated on Wednesday that it had escalated its military activities by employing precision-guided missiles for the first time. The Israeli military confirmed that four projectiles had been fired from Lebanon, with two intercepted and two falling harmlessly to the ground. Concurrently, Israeli airstrikes targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, generating substantial fireballs visible in the night sky. One strike hit the office of the pro-Iranian broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, although the office had been unoccupied since the conflict escalated. The Lebanese health ministry reported one fatality and five injuries, including that of a child, resulting from the attacks.
Hezbollah commenced its military response on October 8, 2023, as a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people following a Hamas-led attack on Israel that resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of around 250 individuals, according to Israeli figures. In retaliation, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have led to over 42,000 fatalities, as reported by health authorities in the territory, and have devastated large portions of the region.
Furthermore, the Israeli military recently identified six Palestinian journalists working for Al Jazeera in Gaza, alleging connections to Hamas or Islamic Jihad. Al Jazeera has rejected these claims, stating that they are attempts to silence its reporters. The Committee to Protect Journalists’ Middle East program criticized these accusations, calling them unsubstantiated and an effort to delegitimize Palestinian journalists.
As the situation evolves, the international community remains focused on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Lebanon and the implications of continued military operations on both sides of the conflict. The Paris conference represents a critical effort to address the urgent needs of the Lebanese people and to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces, which play a vital role in maintaining stability amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
