Israel’s prime minister ordered the military to intensify strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon to crush the armed group. The order was announced in a Telegram video and followed Israeli military claims of attacks on Hezbollah in the Beqaa Valley and other areas. The prime minister said Israel would not ease its operations and called for stepping on the gas further. The escalation occurred despite a ceasefire with Lebanon agreed last month and recently extended. Reports described displacement from southern Beirut suburbs, daily strikes across southern Lebanon, and casualties in Kfar Reman. Strikes damaged buildings and a Shia community center in Nabatieh, and incendiary phosphorus munitions were reported to have caused fires in forests and farmland.
"We are at war with Hezbollah, and we will intensify our strikes, he declared. The order is in line with calls from far-right coalition partners for an escalation of military action. Netanyahu said Israel's military would not be taking its foot off the gas. On the contrary, I said to step on the gas even more."
"Shortly after his comments, the Israeli military announced it had launched attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Beqaa Valley and several other areas in Lebanon. Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that the announcement had also sparked an exodus of people from the southern suburbs of Beirut, a major Hezbollah stronghold."
"The order comes despite the ceasefire agreed with Lebanon last month, which was recently extended. The announcement of the escalation came as Lebanon marked Liberation Day, commemorating the departure of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon following an 18-year occupation in 2000. The order also came amid daily strikes on southern Lebanon."
"A barrage of Israeli attacks was earlier reported on the districts of Tyre and Nabatieh. Four people were killed, and three were injured in the town of Kfar Reman, in the Nabatieh district. Several strikes also targeted the al-Midan neighbourhood in the city of Nabatieh, damaging residential buildings and a Shia Muslim community centre."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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