Finance
New Delhi: Israel conducted overnight airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, as confirmed by a statement from the Israeli army. The statement mentioned, “The Israeli army is striking military targets of the terrorist organization Hezbollah on Lebanese territory.”
Here are 10 points on this big story:
- There are growing fears of an escalation between the pro-Iran Lebanese group Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, and Israel. Israeli authorities began evacuating thousands of residents from at least 28 locations across the Israel-Lebanon border after clashes.
- US President Joe Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow to show solidarity with the Israeli people following the October 7 Hamas attacks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “On Wednesday, @POTUS will visit Israel. He’s coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region, and for the world,” Mr Blinken wrote on X.
- Blinken said the US also received guarantees from Israel to cooperate on bringing foreign aid into the impoverished and blockaded Gaza Strip, as Israeli forces prepare a ground offensive against the Hamas-held territory.
- Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeideh said yesterday that the threat of an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza “does not scare us and we are ready for it”.
- In a televised statement, Hamas’ Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades have been holding 200 people captive since their massive attack on southern Israel on October 7, with about 50 others held by other armed groups in other locations.
- More than 1,400 were killed in the land-sea-air assault by Hamas on Israel. In retaliation, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 2,750 people in Gaza.
- The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) warned on Monday that the lack of water in Gaza under the Israeli blockade is forcing people to drink from contaminated sources, which could lead to the spread of diseases.
- The Israeli military is mobilizing armored vehicles on the outskirts of Gaza, indicating readiness for a ground-based assault. However, Israeli authorities emphasize that any such move depends on a “political decision”. In anticipation of a potential attack, Israel, backed by the combined strength of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli Air Force (IAF), has called up over 400,000 reservists.
- Yahya Sinwar, identified as the Hamas commander in Gaza, has been held accountable for the October 7 attacks by Israeli authorities. Lieutenant Richard Hecht, the Israeli military spokesperson, has described Sinwar as “a dead man walking.
- The Arab League and African Union have issued stark warnings. They emphasize the dire consequences of a ground offensive. They go as far as stating that a potential invasion would lead to “a genocide of unprecedented proportions”.
