Middle East conflict: Media: Israel carries out attacks in northeast Lebanon

According to media reports, the Israeli armed forces have carried out air strikes on northeast Lebanon. The Hezbollah-affiliated television station Al-Majadin reported that several areas in the Bekaa Valley and around the city of Baalbek were hit. The television station MTV reported at least ten air strikes in Baalbek and the surrounding area. A burning building could be seen on a video said to have come from the village of Duris.

According to Israeli media reports, Baalbek is considered a stronghold of the Shiite militia Hezbollah. The region has been bombed several times by the Israeli Air Force since the escalation began at the end of last month. According to their own statements, the Israeli armed forces repeatedly attack positions of the pro-Iranian militia. Hezbollah, for its part, continues to fire rockets at Israel. According to the Israeli military, about 115 projectiles were recorded being fired from Lebanon into Israel on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would continue to fight Hezbollah harshly throughout Lebanon. In the event of a possible retaliatory strike against Iran, however, according to a report in the Washington Post, he wants to concentrate on military facilities and spare the nuclear and oil facilities. In this way, Netanyahu is likely to accommodate the US government’s ideas.

Israel’s military: Hezbollah’s underground command center discovered

According to the military, Israeli ground troops discovered an underground Hezbollah command center in southern Lebanon. The armed forces said the complex served the elite Radwan force. Weapons, ammunition and motorcycles were found there. According to the military, the underground complex was designed so that Radwan units could equip themselves there and then penetrate Israeli territory on foot or on motorcycles. A Radwan fighter was killed when the facility was discovered.

Head of Mission: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon are holding their positions

Despite Israeli calls to withdraw, the soldiers of the UN observer mission in Lebanon (Unifil) are expected to continue their work for the time being. “The decision has been made that Unifil is currently holding all of its positions, despite being asked by the Israeli Defense Forces to withdraw from its positions near the border,” said UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix. In the fighting between the Israeli armed forces and Hezbollah, the blue helmets have come under fire several times in recent days, and at least four soldiers have been injured. The UN mission has been monitoring the border area between Israel and Lebanon for decades. More than 10,000 UN soldiers from more than 50 countries are involved, including the Bundeswehr.

UN Security Council criticizes attacks on peacekeepers in Lebanon

After the repeated shelling of UN peacekeeping positions in Lebanon (Unifil), the UN Security Council expressed concern about the safety of the peacekeepers stationed there. “We call on all parties to respect the security of Unifil’s personnel and facilities,” said Swiss UN Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, acting president of the Security Council, on behalf of all 15 members. “We remind that UN peacekeepers and UN properties must never be the target of attacks.” In light of the fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, the UN Security Council also expressed concern about civilian casualties, destruction of infrastructure and the increasing number of internally displaced people. “We call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law,” said Security Council President Baeriswyl.

Report: Israel wants to spare nuclear and oil facilities in retaliation against Iran

According to a report, Israel wants to concentrate its planned retaliation against Iran on military facilities and spare the nuclear and oil facilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported this to the US government, the Washington Post newspaper reported, citing two officials familiar with the matter. Two weeks ago, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired around 200 ballistic missiles at the Jewish state. Israel then announced retaliation. US President Biden made it clear that he would not support an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. According to analysts, an attack on oil facilities could drive up energy prices, while an attack on nuclear facilities could trigger further escalation and drag the US into the conflict. Netanyahu’s plan to only attack military facilities was met with relief in Washington.