There are growing fears of an escalation between the pro-Iranian Hezbollah and Israel.
New Delhi:
Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon overnight, according to an Israeli military statement. “The Israeli army is attacking military targets of the terrorist organization Hezbollah on Lebanese territory,” the statement said.
Here are 10 points about this big story:
There are growing fears of an escalation between the pro-Iranian Lebanese group Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, and Israel. Israeli authorities have begun evacuating thousands of residents from at least 28 locations along the Israel-Lebanon border after clashes.
US President Joe Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow to show solidarity with the Israeli people following the October 7 Hamas attacks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “On Wednesday, @POTUS will visit Israel. He comes here at a crucial time for Israel, for the region and for the world,” Mr. Blinken wrote on X.
Blinken said the US has also received assurances from Israel to cooperate in bringing foreign aid to the impoverished and blockaded Gaza Strip as Israeli forces prepare a ground offensive against Hamas-held territory.
Hamas spokesman Abu Obeideh said yesterday that the threat of an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza “does not scare us and we are ready for it.”
In a televised statement, Hamas’ Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades have held 200 people captive since their massive attack on southern Israel on October 7, while about 50 others were held by other armed groups in other locations.
More than 1,400 people were killed in Hamas’ land-sea air strike on Israel. In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed more than 2,750 people.
The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) warned on Monday that the lack of water in Gaza under the Israeli blockade is forcing people to drink from contaminated wells, which could lead to the spread of disease.
The Israeli army has gathered armored vehicles on the edge of Gaza in preparation for an attack from the ground. Israeli authorities have said any ground offensive against Gaza would depend on a “political decision.” In preparation for a possible attack, Israel, along with the combined forces of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Air Force (IAF), has deployed more than 400,000 reservists.
Israel has named Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas commander in Gaza, as the man responsible for the October 7 attacks. Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Richard Hecht has described Sinwar as “a dead man walking”.
The Arab League and African Union have issued stark warnings about the dire consequences of a ground offensive, going so far as to say a possible invasion would result in “a genocide of unprecedented proportions.”
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