A new escalation between Israel and Lebanon? The Israeli army advises Lebanese citizens to “move away from used areas” by Hezbollah in the south of the country. The IDF points the finger at the villagers “located in or near buildings and areas used by Hezbollah for military purposes, such as those used to store weapons, to immediately seek shelter for their own safety”said IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari on Monday morning, September 23, during a press briefing where he addressed the Lebanese population directly. The Israeli forces added that the strikes targeting the Islamist movement will “continue in the near future” and that they will be “more important and more precise”. Follow our live.
New strikes Monday morning. Lebanon’s official news agency ANI reported on Monday morning that “enemy warplanes had launched (…) more than 80 airstrikes in half an hour”targeting areas in southern Lebanon, at the same time as “intense raids in the Bekaa Valley”in the east of the country. Bombings confirmed by the Israeli army.
Deadly exchanges of fire. Following waves of explosions that hit pagers and walkie-talkies, killing nearly 40 people and injuring 3,000, exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah have intensified in recent days. The Israeli army struck “several dozen” Hezbollah positions in Lebanon on Sunday. The Israeli assault is a response to “nearly 150 rockets, cruise missiles and drones launched towards Israel” on the night from Saturday to Sunday and Sunday morning.
The international community continues its calls for calm. UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed concern about the risk of Lebanon becoming a “another Gaza”Egypt, for its part, fears a “total war” in the Middle East, warning that the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah could undermine efforts for a ceasefire in the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip.