Israel Hezbollah conflict/ Lebanon airstrikes/ Israeli-Lebanon conflict escalation/ Newslooks/ BEIRUT/ LEBANON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ More than 700 people have been killed in Lebanon in the past week as Israel intensifies its strikes against Hezbollah. As the conflict escalates, over 200,000 people have been displaced, and Israel continues to target Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. International efforts to call for a cease-fire continue, but Israel has vowed to keep striking Hezbollah until its objectives are met.
Israel’s Escalating Strikes on Lebanon: Quick Looks
- Over 700 deaths: Israeli airstrikes have killed over 700 people in Lebanon this week, including women and children, amid its campaign against Hezbollah.
- Displacement crisis: More than 200,000 people have been displaced as Israel targets Hezbollah forces across southern Lebanon.
- Hezbollah retaliation: Hezbollah has continued launching rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas, prompting Israel’s military response.
- International calls for cease-fire: The U.S. and France, among others, have pushed for a 21-day cease-fire, which Lebanon supports, but Israel remains firm on achieving its military goals.
- Cross-border tensions: The conflict has spilled over with reports of missile strikes from Hezbollah-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, increasing concerns about wider regional escalation.
Over 700 Dead in a Week, Lebanon Death Toll Surges Amid Israeli Strikes
Deep Look
Lebanon’s death toll surpassed 700 people this week as Israel escalated its airstrikes, targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israel has ramped up its military operations, claiming to focus on weakening Hezbollah’s military capabilities and eliminating key commanders.
The International Organization for Migration reported that the ongoing strikes have displaced more than 200,000 people within Lebanon, with many fleeing to Syria for safety. Lebanon’s foreign minister condemned Israel’s actions, labeling the airstrikes as part of a broader campaign of “systematic destruction” targeting Lebanese border towns.
Israeli Military’s Stated Objectives
An Israeli security official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, stated that Israel’s objectives in Lebanon differ from its mission in Gaza. While the goal in Gaza is to dismantle Hamas’ political and military infrastructure, the focus in Lebanon is simply to push Hezbollah away from Israel’s northern border. This difference in objectives suggests that Israel expects the conflict with Hezbollah to be shorter than the ongoing Gaza operations.
Despite calls from international allies, including the United States and France, for a 21-day cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that Israel would continue its operations against Hezbollah until all military objectives were achieved.
Growing Regional Conflict
The situation in Lebanon is just one piece of a broader regional conflict involving Israel. Hezbollah began launching rockets into northern Israel shortly after Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, and has continued its military support for Hamas. In retaliation, Israel has intensified airstrikes across southern Lebanon, killing over 600 people in the past five days alone, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are also aligned with Iran, claimed responsibility for a missile attack targeting Tel Aviv early Friday morning. Though Israel successfully intercepted the missile with its Arrow defense system, this is the second attack in recent weeks from the Houthis, signaling a potential expansion of the conflict.
Humanitarian Crisis in Lebanon
The rising death toll and displacement in Lebanon have led to increased humanitarian concerns. In addition to the thousands of displaced Lebanese, well over 30,000 people—mostly Syrians returning to their home country—have crossed into Syria to escape the conflict, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, the U.N. representative in Syria, said, “These people are fleeing bombs and crossing into a country that has been suffering from its own crisis for 13 years.” With Syria already enduring an economic collapse and ongoing violence, the influx of refugees from Lebanon only adds to the region’s instability.
Hezbollah’s Response
Hezbollah has shown no signs of backing down. On Friday, Hezbollah fired missiles toward Tiberias in northern Israel. Though no casualties were reported, Israel quickly retaliated with airstrikes on the Hezbollah launch sites in Haddatha, Lebanon. In addition to missile strikes, Hezbollah has also utilized drones to target Israeli positions, although Israeli forces successfully intercepted all four drones that crossed the border.
Impact on Civilians
Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the fighting. In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah killed one man and injured four others. Despite Israel’s assertion that it was targeting Islamic Jihad terrorists embedded within civilian areas, the destruction of tents sheltering displaced people in hospital complexes has only worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Lebanon also saw tragic losses, including the deaths of nine members of a family in the border village of Chebaa following an Israeli airstrike that leveled their home.
International Involvement
As the situation in Lebanon intensifies, there are concerns about broader regional instability. Iran, a key supporter of both Hezbollah and Hamas, has remained a looming figure behind the escalating tensions. The involvement of Houthi rebels from Yemen, also backed by Iran, further complicates efforts to de-escalate the conflict. The international community is increasingly worried that Israel’s conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah could spill into neighboring countries, sparking a larger regional war.
Meanwhile, trade unions have taken a different approach, filing a claim with the U.N. labor organization in Geneva on behalf of 200,000 Palestinian workers who lost their jobs after Israel suspended work permits in the wake of the October 7 attacks. The claim argues that these workers and their families have experienced significant financial hardship due to lost wages, and it demands compensation from Israel for the affected workers.
What’s Next?
As Israel’s military operations continue in Lebanon and Gaza, the human toll is expected to rise. Despite international pressure for a cease-fire, Israel has shown no signs of scaling back its military campaigns until its objectives are fully realized. For the people of Lebanon and Gaza, the situation remains dire as they face increasing violence, displacement, and humanitarian needs.
