Israel has once again intensified its offensive attack on Hezbollah in line with their mantra of not giving up the fight until the group is completely wiped out. The latest is recorded to be the bombing of over fifteen buildings in Beirut, suspected to be financial institutions linked to the militant group.
Recall that Israel’s foreign minister had earlier revealed that the country would keep hitting the militant group until it collapses. Following their resolution, not fewer than 1,802 people have been killed across Lebanon by Israeli forces, which has again raised severe concern in the international community, with Israel being warned of actions that may lead to genocide.
The United Nations has cautioned the Israeli military against further actions that may utterly destroy the Palestinian population in northern Gaza through “death and displacement” and enjoined Israel to honour the UN order to avoid ethnic cleansing. The warning from the UN to Israel was rekindled following the weekend attack, which claimed over 87 people’s lives, according to reports from the enclave’s health ministry.
Meanwhile, the United States has moved to mediate a truce between the warring groups. The U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein meets with Lebanese officials in Beirut on Monday to discuss conditions that would bring the war between Israel and Hezbollah to its abrupt end.
Several diplomatic attempts to bring the war between Isreal and its two most dangerous and heavily armed regional militia foes, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, have utterly failed as the war has reached its second year, escalating daily. The US is hoping to succeed in its effort to mediate peace this time, following Israrel’s triumphantly cracking down on Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and mastermind of the attacks on Israeli towns last year, which was Israeli top priority.
The killing of Sinwar seemed to be a significant victory for Israel and may be a stepping stone to bringing the war to an end. However, the retaliation from the Israeli enemies has again fueled the tension and would keep the war in continuity if the current efforts of the US government to broker a truce in Lebanon fail to materialize.
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Mikati’s meeting with U.S. envoy Hochstein in Lebanon on Monday (today) is reportedly the last chance to initiate the true before the United States November 5 election.
Beirut residents, already overwhelmed by the suffering from a devastating financial crisis, said they had little expectation that the U.S. official’s visit would bring any meaningful breakthrough, judging by antecedents.
Tony Rawandos, 61, owner of a car workshop, speaking to journalists on their expectations from the meeting, said, “I see it dragging on; I see it taking longer. It’s still a play; where are we going? No one knows. Anyone who tells you they know is lying, especially these so-called leaders that appear on TV—they don’t know what they’re saying,”.
Meanwhile, according to reports from Axios, Israel on Sunday gave the United States a document with its conditions for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Lebanon. Among the demands of Israel was that their military be allowed to engage in “active enforcement” to ensure Hezbollah does not stay anywhere near the border. Also, they want its air force to have freedom of operation in Lebanese air space.
According to Axios, a United States official disclosed that there is a high possibility that Lebanon and the international community would disagree with Israel’s conditions.
