Lebanon offensive

Israel reinforces troops and warns population

The bombardments in Lebanon continue. Israel is now reinforcing its ground troops.(Bild: APA/AFP)

In the fight against Hezbollah, Israel is reinforcing its troops for the Lebanon offensive. According to the information provided, however, these are still only "localized and targeted operations in southern Lebanon". The population there was called upon on Monday to stay away from coastal areas.

The warning, issued in Arabic, concerned the beaches as well as boats heading south from the Awali River. The Israeli navy would soon launch "an operation against Hezbollah", it continued. The Awali River flows into the Mediterranean about halfway between Beirut and the Israeli-Lebanese border.

On the anniversary of the Hamas terror attack on October 7, Hezbollah once again denied Israel's right to exist. There is no place for Israel "in our region and in our social, cultural and human structure", the militia declared. The Islamist Hamas had carried out a "heroic operation" with the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which would have "historic effects and strategic consequences" for the Middle East.

Lebanon: Firefighters killed in attack
Meanwhile, according to Lebanese reports, ten firefighters were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an administrative building in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil. These are preliminary figures, the health ministry said on Monday.

The Israeli army has repeatedly called on the population to leave targeted areas.(Bild: APA/AP)

Telecommunications services in Lebanon have also been disrupted following repeated Israeli attacks in several parts of the country. Networks in the capital Beirut and in the areas around Tyros, Sidon and Nabatiyeh are among those affected, according to the organization NetBlocks, which is primarily known for monitoring internet blocking. Internet connections were lost in these regional networks.

A mass exodus has begun in the south of Lebanon, with more than one million people displaced. In the Gaza Strip, the majority of the 2.3 million inhabitants have had to give up their homes, many are holding out in tent camps and the supply situation is dramatic. The escalation of the conflict is increasingly fueling concerns that it could lead to a conflagration in the Middle East, especially as Iran recently fired almost 200 rockets towards Israel. There are fears of a direct war breaking out between the two states, which could also involve the USA as Israel's most important ally.