Early Thursday morning, numerous significant airstrikes targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut, one of which struck a location next to Lebanon’s sole international airport. The Israeli military released an evacuation directive for this site, claiming it housed Hezbollah installations, although further details were not provided.
In a related development on the same day, the Israeli military announced it had broadened its ground operations that began a month ago in northern Gaza to include a portion of Beit Lahiya. This town has suffered extensive bombardment since the early stages of the ongoing conflict, with Israel asserting that Hamas militants have reorganized their activities there.
In a speech broadcasted Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem stated that the Lebanese militant group would be willing to discuss a cease-fire only if “the enemy ceases its aggression.” This address coincided with the end of the 40-day mourning period following the assassination of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
Hezbollah had begun its cross-border firing into Israel on October 8, 2023, in solidarity with Hamas, which has been engaged in conflict in the Gaza Strip. Since the outbreak of hostilities, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports that over 3,000 individuals have lost their lives and approximately 13,600 have sustained injuries.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted after Palestinian militants launched an incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in around 1,200 fatalities, primarily among civilians, and the abduction of approximately 250 people. In response, Israeli military operations in Gaza have reportedly led to the deaths of over 43,000 individuals, as reported by Palestinian health officials. They do not differentiate between civilians and combatants in these figures but indicate that more than half of those killed are women and children.
As for the recent developments, Israel’s military has intensified its operations in northern Gaza, specifically targeting Beit Lahiya, which has faced extensive bombardment since the conflict’s inception. In a statement released on Thursday, the military disclosed that “troops started to operate” in this area after gathering intelligence concerning the existence of militants. Hamas has consistently regrouped in territories where significant military action has previously occurred.
Beit Lahiya, located in the northwestern part of Gaza, was one of the initial locations impacted by ground invasion efforts that began following Hamas’s assault on southern Israel. Since then, the northern section of Gaza has been surrounded by Israeli forces.
Additionally, a massive offensive was launched in Jabaliya, a long-established urban refugee camp, in early October. Israel has significantly limited the quantity of aid entering northern Gaza and has mandated a full evacuation, leading to tens of thousands of individuals fleeing towards Gaza City amidst a new wave of displacement caused by the conflict.
On the bombing in Beirut, the airstrikes early Thursday included strikes in areas adjacent to the international airport. While the Israeli military had previously issued an evacuation order for those sites, claiming the presence of Hezbollah assets, there were no immediate reports detailing any casualties. Remarkably, Beirut’s airport has remained untouched during the unfolding conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with the national airline, Middle East Airlines, continuing its commercial flight operations.