UNITED NATIONS, Oct 3 (IPS) – On September 23, Israel began a barrage of airstrikes on Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. According to statements from the Israel Defense Forces (IDP), approximately 3,600 locations have been hit, making this the deadliest air campaign against Lebanon in the past two decades.
Lebanese government reports indicate that at least 1,400 people have been killed in the recent attacks, including senior Hezbollah officials Hasan Nasrallah and Nabil Kaouk. In response, Hezbollah launched a series of missiles and drones at Israeli bases, most of which were intercepted. As recently as October 2, the group launched a rocket attack on an Israeli military base near Tel Aviv.
The death toll is expected to rise as bombings continue without a ceasefire. Yesterday, on October 2, Israel launched a ground invasion on the borders of southern Lebanon, deploying around 10,000 troops to move north.
Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University of Beirut, adds that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon are an attempt to weaken Hezbollah’s response to a ground invasion with little resistance.
“Once they feel they have sufficiently softened Hezbollah’s resistance, they will launch their ground offensive. They are focusing on Hezbollah’s strategic assets,” he said.
Entire residential blocks in Beirut have been decimated, forcing thousands to leave their homes. The United Nations reports that approximately 900,000 people have been displaced, including 260,000 internally displaced and 100,000 displaced to Syria. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that mass displacement is expected to increase in the coming days as the IDF issued evacuation orders in 30 villages in southern Lebanon between yesterday and today.
In addition, medical facilities in Lebanon are struggling to help on the front lines. The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that more than 30 primary health care centers in hard-hit areas have been closed due to damage and insecurity.
Mohamed Arkadan, an aid worker in Lebanon, stated: “About a dozen apartments had collapsed on the once overlooked hill, burying more than 100 people.” Arkadan and his team recovered more than forty bodies from the rubble, including those of children.
The attacks took a significant psychological toll on Lebanon, especially on the frontline of emergency personnel. Dr. Basil Abdallah, the medical director of Rayak Hospital in Rayak, Lebanon, explained: “It’s hard to see children being bombed, older patients and women being bombed. Most nurses and doctors are depressed. We have emotions. We are people. “.
Karim Bitar, a professor of international relations at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, described Israel’s offensive tactics as a “psychological war.”
Humanitarian organizations fear that the increasingly indiscriminate attacks are a sign of war.
“Israel’s approach to war is markedly different from that of its allies in terms of the frequency and intensity of attacks,” said Emily Tripp, director of Airwars, a British nonprofit that tracks civilian casualties from international conflicts. “The United States dropped 500 munitions in a single day during the height of its campaign against the Islamic State in Raqqa in 2017. Israel far exceeded this firepower, reporting attacks on 1,600 targets on September 23 alone.”
Earlier this morning, UN Secretary General António Guterres spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, assuring that the UN is fully mobilized to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected areas. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered essential supplies to more than 200 shelters. WHO provides financial and technical support to medical workers in Lebanon. The World Food Program (WFP) has provided hot meals and emergency cash to 10,000 households. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will maintain their position and adapt their activities in accordance with their mandate.
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