Airport Road Blasts Signal New Phase
Israeli strikes hit near Beirut's main airport road on Tuesday, bringing the month-old war to the capital's doorstep. The attack came hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Israel's military would occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the current war against Hezbollah ends.
Bridge Destruction Threatens to Sever Nation
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee announced plans to bomb the Sohmor and Mashghara bridges over the Litani River in the western Bekaa Valley, claiming they serve Hezbollah. Al Jazeera's Obaida Hitto reported these are the main arteries for goods, people and movement between the western Bekaa and the rest of Lebanon. The destruction would isolate the western Bekaa from Chtoura, the region's main hub, cutting off access to hospitals and public services. Israel has destroyed at least six other bridges over the Litani River since the start of its intensified aerial and ground offensive in Lebanon in early March.
Water Systems Targeted as Death Toll Mounts
The South Lebanon Water Establishment reported Israeli strikes damaged key water infrastructure in Ibl al-Saqi and al-Maysat, with solar power systems at other stations also hit. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported 1,345 people killed and 4,040 wounded since March 2, including 125 children and 53 healthcare workers. A Friday strike on worshippers leaving a mosque in Sahmar killed two people.
For example, the South Lebanon Water Establishment, according to the National News Agency, called the targeting of water facilities a violation of international conventions.
The sources also report that the South Lebanon Water Establishment condemned the strikes as a "clear and explicit violation of all international conventions and norms that require the neutrality of institutions and facilities that provide basic services to civilians from acts of war."
UN Peacekeepers Caught in Crossfire
Three United Nations peacekeepers were killed this week, with two others seriously wounded by an explosion at a UN position near al-Adaissah near the Israel-Lebanon border. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said the peacekeepers are being evacuated to hospital and the origin of the explosion remains unknown. The UN force reminded all actors of their obligations to ensure peacekeeper safety and avoid combat activities nearby.
Military Claims 1,000 Militant Deaths
The Israeli military reported killing about 1,000 militants in Lebanon over the past month, with strikes hitting what it described as terrorist infrastructure, weapons storage facilities, launch positions, and command and control headquarters belonging to Hezbollah. The conflict began March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge a US-Israeli attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Israeli military said it has struck more than 3,500 targets across Lebanon since fighting began.
The sources indicate Hezbollah fired missiles in response to the United States-Israeli war on Iran, without mentioning a specific attack that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mass Displacement as Occupation Looms
More than 1.2 million people have fled their homes under the Israeli bombardment. Israeli leaders have said they plan to demolish scores of residential homes as troops shore up control of towns and villages in southern Lebanon.
The source says Israel has destroyed at least six other bridges over the Litani River since the start of its intensified aerial and ground offensive in Lebanon in early March. This needs to be more specific.