Israel/ Hezbollah/ Gaza/ Lebanon/ drone attack/ airstrike/ UN peacekeepers/ humanitarian crisis/ Newslooks/ DEIR AL-BALAH/ Gaza Strip/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Four Israeli soldiers were killed, and seven injured in a Hezbollah drone attack in Israel, while an Israeli airstrike in Gaza resulted in 20 casualties, including children. The violence intensifies amid broader conflicts involving Hezbollah, Hamas, and Israeli military actions in Lebanon.
Israel-Hezbollah Drone Attack and Gaza Airstrikes: Quick Looks
- Hezbollah Attack: Four Israeli soldiers were killed and seven wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack.
- Retaliation Claimed: Hezbollah cites Israeli strikes on Beirut as the motive.
- Escalation in Gaza: Israeli airstrikes killed 20 in Gaza, including children.
- International Concerns: UN peacekeepers were affected by Israel-Hezbollah conflict, sparking international condemnation.
- Lebanon and Gaza Conflicts: Israel is now engaged in conflicts with both Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
- Casualty Tally: The overall death toll continues to climb, impacting civilians heavily across regions.
Gaza Strikes, Hezbollah Drone Attack Heighten Mideast Tensions
Deep Look
In an intensifying wave of violence, a Hezbollah drone strike on an Israeli army base in central Israel led to the deaths of four soldiers, with seven others injured. Israel’s military reports this was the deadliest attack by Hezbollah since Israel began ground operations in Lebanon almost two weeks ago. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon, claimed responsibility, stating the drone strike near Binyamina was in response to Israeli airstrikes in Beirut days prior that killed 22 individuals. The attack targeted Israel’s elite Golani Brigade, aiming to overwhelm Israeli defenses with a barrage of missiles to divert attention from the approaching drones.
The attack also injured a reported 61 people, marking a rare breach of Israel’s extensive air-defense systems, which are typically effective in intercepting aerial threats. Since the Gaza war erupted, Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in regular cross-border fire. Israel’s current objective in Lebanon is to weaken Hezbollah’s influence and push its forces away from the border, a move seen as necessary to allow displaced Israelis to return to their homes.
Meanwhile, Gaza faces its own humanitarian crisis as Israeli airstrikes continue. An airstrike on a school in Nuseirat, used as a shelter for displaced Palestinians, resulted in at least 20 fatalities, including children. A separate attack near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah killed three and injured approximately 50, further straining Gaza’s already overwhelmed healthcare facilities.
In a parallel development, the United States has committed to delivering additional air-defense systems to Israel, alongside personnel to operate them. With both Hezbollah and Hamas engaged in confrontations with Israel, tensions are rapidly mounting. Israeli officials have indicated possible strikes on Iran in response to recent missile attacks, to which Iran has stated it will retaliate if attacked.
UN Peacekeepers Drawn into Conflict
On Sunday, Israeli tanks breached the gate of a UN peacekeeping position in Lebanon, firing smoke rounds that caused irritation among peacekeepers. This incident marks a “flagrant violation of international law,” according to UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), which has called for accountability. Criticism of Israeli operations has increased, especially after several attacks on UN peacekeepers since the onset of the ground campaign in Lebanon, which left five peacekeepers wounded. The United Nations condemned the incident as “deeply concerning,” emphasizing that attacks on peacekeepers could constitute a war crime.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused UNIFIL of “shielding” Hezbollah, urging the UN to withdraw peacekeepers to prevent injuries, while maintaining open communication lines with UNIFIL. Israel has long accused the UN of harboring anti-Israel biases, and this sentiment has deepened amidst the Gaza conflict.
Destruction of Lebanon’s Historical Sites
As the conflict escalates, historical sites have become collateral damage. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon’s southern city of Nabatiyeh demolished an Ottoman-era market, killing one and injuring four. Search-and-rescue operations were underway as Israeli drones continued to fly overhead. The Israeli military noted that its strikes targeted Hezbollah locations but did not disclose specific details.
In a tragic incident, Lebanese Red Cross paramedics were injured in a second Israeli airstrike while assisting casualties in southern Lebanon. The paramedics’ mission, coordinated with UN peacekeepers, was interrupted by the second strike, which left four paramedics with concussions and damaged ambulances.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza’s North
In Gaza, relentless Israeli air and ground attacks on Jabaliya have brought devastation to this densely populated area. Israeli forces state that militants are using residential areas for operations, but local accounts highlight the growing civilian toll. The United Nations has been unable to deliver food to northern Gaza since early October, deepening the crisis for approximately 400,000 residents who remain despite calls for evacuation.
As hospitals struggle to accommodate rising casualties, bodies of those killed in the bombings remain in the streets and under debris, exposed to the elements. Health ministry official Fares Abu Hamza reports that many bodies are inaccessible, with some even becoming food for stray animals due to restricted access in war-torn regions.
Israel’s conflict with Hamas began over a year ago with a surprise attack that left 1,200 dead in Israel and roughly 250 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza has been bombarded, with over 42,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Though Israel claims many of the deceased are combatants, Gaza’s officials emphasize that women and children account for a significant portion of the fatalities.
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