Israel Bombs Beirut Outskirts as Fighting With Hezbollah Escalates
U.S. efforts for a truce in Lebanon appear to have stalled. Israel accused Hezbollah of firing at Israeli territory. Iran swiftly retaliated.
U.S. efforts for a truce in Lebanon appear to have stalled. Israel accused Hezbollah of firing at Israeli territory. Iran swiftly retaliated.
Israel invaded Lebanon and occupied parts of the country to fight Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group, but its military offensive has drawn in others.
The U.S.-brokered agreement requires Hezbollah, which Iran backs, to stop firing first. But the group, not party to the talks, rejected the conditions as a virtual surrender.
The agreement places the onus on Hezbollah to halt attacks, while demanding few immediate concessions from Israel. The cease-fire could remove an obstacle in the talks between the United States and Iran.
The conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran looms over a state that has been pummeled by military strikes but has little say in determining its own future.
The seizure of Beaufort in southern Lebanon called up bitter memories in both countries amid a widening Israeli conflict with Hezbollah that seems far from over.
It was the first attack by Israel on the Lebanese capital in weeks and could complicate efforts by the United States and Iran to agree to a peace deal to end the war in Iran.
The Israeli military issued sweeping evacuation warnings for two southern cities, indicating that more airstrikes were imminent.
President Trump’s proposal to end the war with Iran would delay tackling the most contentious issues — a tactic that has had mixed results in Gaza.
Saturday’s strikes damaged a main hospital in the Lebanese city of Tyre, as funerals for paramedics killed a day earlier were held.