Lebanon's Health Ministry revealed that nearly 700 people have been killed in the country this week while Israel escalating the strikes in order to target Hezbollah's military capacities and senior Hezbollah commanders.
Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah's attacks have not only been condemned by the top Israeli officials but they have also threatened to repeat the destruction of Gaza in Lebanon if the Hezbollah fire continues its actions.
The United States, France and other allies jointly called for a 21-day cease-fire. Lebanon's foreign minister said the country welcomed the cease-fire efforts, and decried Israel's “systematic destruction of Lebanese border villages”.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib at United Nationas General Assembly appealed for an immediate ceasefire and warned that the situation is "threatening the very existence" of Lebanon.
Israel Lebanon Violence | Top Points
Israeli military reports more strikes from Lebanon - The Israeli military said four drones came across the border Friday, all of which were intercepted and reported that a man is suffering from wounds from shrapnel. Earlier Friday, the Israeli miltiary said another 10 projectiles came into Israel from Lebanon, with some intercepted and others falling into open fields. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed it had targeted the Israeli city of Tiberias with missiles.
Israel 'Won't Stop' Until Goals Achieved - Israeli military vehicles were seen transporting tanks and armoured vehicles toward the country's northern border with Lebanon, and commanders have issued a call-up of reservists. Netanyahu says Israel is striking Hezbollah “with full force” and won't stop until its goals are achieved.
Israeli strike in Syria kills 5 soldiers - According to Syrian state news agency SANA, an overnight Israeli airstrike on a military site in the area of Kfar Yabous in Syria near the border with Lebanon killed five Syrian army soldiers and injured another. Israel's military did not immediately acknowledge the strike but Associated Press states that it regularly targets military sites in Syria and facilities linked to Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah but rarely acknowledges them.
How was Syria affected by Hezbollah & Hamas' retaliation to Israeli strikes - Israeli strikes have become more frequent after Hezbollah exchanged fire with them in the past 11 months against the backdrop of Israel's war against Hamas which is a Hezbollah ally in Gaza. Tens of thousands of Lebanese and Syrians have fled across the border from Lebanon into Syria since the beginning of the week amid intense Israeli bombardment that Israel says is targeting Hezbollah militants and weapons. The strikes have reportedly killed an estimated 700 people to date, including at least 150 women and children.
International Organisation for Migration Data - The IOM estimated on Thursday that more than 200,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas after it stormed into Israel, sparking the Israel-Hamas war. Lebanon says a total of 1,540 people have been killed within its borders in that time.
Trade unions file claim at UN for Palestinian workers - A group of international trade unions has lodged a complaint against Israel at the UN's labour organisation seeking compensatation for 200,000 Palestinians who have gone unpaid or seen their benefits withheld after the October 7 attacks. The nine unions stated that workers from both Gaza and the West Bank had been employed in Israel before the deadly attacks by armed militants, but were barred from entering to go to their jobs afterward resulting in loss of millions of dollars in income of the workers.
Wage theft claim by trade unions - A joint statement from the unions read, “These workers have experienced widespread wage theft due to the suspension of work permits and the unilateral termination of their contracts.” The filing at the International Labor Organization in Geneva, of which Israel is a member country, is based on language in its constitution that seeks to ensure that countries uphold international commitments they have already made. Such economic woes that many Palestinians have faced come on top of the bloodshed, displacement and other troubles faced by Gaza and the West Bank as Israel continues its campaign against armed Palestinian militants.
Family of 9 killed in Lebanese town - The Lebanese state-run National News Agency reported the deaths in the strike that occurred around 3 am on Friday in Shebaa. The report offered no other details and the Israeli military did not immediately acknowledge the strike.
Philippines preparing to evacuate thousands of its citizens from Lebanon - The Philippine government is planning to evacuate thousands of Filipino workers in Lebanon amid rising tension between Israel and the Hezbollah militant. More than 11,000 Filipinos live and work in Lebanon, often as house cleaners. Philippine officials have not yet ordered a mandatory evacuation of its citizens because it was not yet clear whether a full-scale war would erupt, including an Israeli ground attack. According to AP, many Filipinos were adamant not to leave their jobs in Lebanon and return to uncertainties at home, but they have been told to be ready to evacuate any time, Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega told a news briefing in Manila.
(With AP inputs)
