The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, issued a warning cry to the international community, stressing that the model of destruction witnessed in the Gaza Strip must not be repeated in Lebanese territories. Guterres explained in press statements that the conflict in the Middle East has spiraled out of control, especially with the regional military confrontation entering its fourth week, threatening the stability of the entire region.
The UN official pointed out that civilians are paying the heaviest price for this escalation, as residents live in a state of deep insecurity. Guterres recalled his field observations during his recent visit to Lebanon, describing the humanitarian repercussions as severe and requiring immediate intervention to prevent a slide towards a comprehensive catastrophe.
On the ground, media sources reported that Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes targeting the town of Taybeh in southern Lebanon. These raids come in the context of an intensive air campaign launched by the occupation forces on border villages and towns, leading to widespread destruction of property and infrastructure.
In contrast, Hezbollah announced the execution of a series of qualitative military operations against gatherings of occupation forces and their vehicles. The party explained in successive statements that it used suicide drones to target occupation soldiers near the pond of the town of Dibel, achieving direct hits among the infiltrating force.
The resistance in Lebanon also confirmed targeting the vicinity of the Khiam detention center for the fourth consecutive time using intensive rocket barrages. These attacks come in response to continuous Israeli attempts to advance terrestrially and establish military points within Lebanese territories, amidst fierce clashes on more than one front.
On the humanitarian front, the Lebanese Ministry of Health revealed shocking statistics of victims of the ongoing aggression since the beginning of March. The ministry stated that the number of martyrs has risen to 1094 people, while the number of injured has exceeded 3119, with the continuous recovery of victims from under the rubble in the targeted areas.
Politically, Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, stressed the resistance's position rejecting any negotiations conducted under the pressure of Israeli fire. Qassem considered in an official statement that accepting negotiations under aggression is tantamount to surrender and a deprivation of Lebanon's sovereignty and defensive capabilities, stressing that the utmost priority is to stop the aggression first.
Qassem explained that what is happening is not 'others' war' on Lebanese soil, but a direct confrontation led by the United States and Israel against the Lebanese people. He called for comprehensive national unity aimed at liberating the land and its people, noting that the party has made the necessary preparations for a long-term confrontation and has proven its worth in the field.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his army is currently working to expand what he described as a 'buffer zone' in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu claimed that the establishment of this zone aims to prevent infiltration operations towards the Galilee and protect northern settlements from the threat of anti-tank missiles.
Netanyahu affirmed that Israel's strategic goal remains the dismantling of Hezbollah's military capabilities, linking this to the broader confrontation his country is waging with Iran. He stressed that his government is determined to bring about a radical change in the security reality on the Lebanese border, whatever the military cost.
In a further escalation, Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz threatened to impose full military control over large areas in the south up to the Litani River. These statements reflect an Israeli tendency to expand ground operations and turn southern Lebanon into a closed military zone under occupation control.
This escalation coincided with the occupation army shelling vital bridges over the Litani River, in a clear attempt to separate the southern regions from the rest of Lebanese territories. This military tactic aims to cut supply lines and isolate border villages in preparation for imposing a new field reality that serves the Israeli agenda.
In the Gaza Strip, the bloodshed continues, with 5 Palestinians, including a child, martyred in raids targeting the central and southern parts of the Strip. Medical sources reported the martyrdom of 4 people due to an Israeli drone shelling a gathering of citizens near the Al-Sawarah cemetery in Al-Nuseirat camp, in a new crime added to the series of daily massacres.
The total toll of the aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has reached catastrophic figures, with the Ministry of Health recording 72,263 martyrs and over 171,000 injured. These developments come at a time when occupation forces continue to target displaced persons' tents in Al-Mawasi, leading to the martyrdom of child Khaled Arada by sniper fire.
The Gaza model must not be replicated in Lebanon, and civilians across the region are suffering severe damage and living in deep insecurity.
شارك برأيك
Guterres warns of 'Gaza model' in Lebanon, Netanyahu announces expansion of buffer zone