Israel Strikes Across Lebanon After Ordering Evacuations of Southern Towns
Israel pressed on with its bombardment of Lebanon on Friday after issuing widespread evacuation warnings in the country’s south, as the conflict with Hezbollah militants showed no sign of abating despite a U.S.-led push for a cease-fire.Some of the Israeli strikes, which came as Lebanon celebrated its independence day, hit near the southern port city of Tyre, following calls by the Israeli military for civilians to evacuate entire towns in the area and flee more than 20 miles north.Bombings also targeted the Dahiya, the area near Beirut that is in effect controlled by Hezbollah and has been hit hard in recent days.Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli strike on Friday killed two paramedics south of Tyre.
More than 145 medical workers in Lebanon have been killed in the line of duty since fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began last October, according to the U.N.World Health Organization.Analysts say Israel’s ramped-up strikes across Lebanon are designed to pressure Hezbollah into agreeing to a cease-fire on terms that are favorable to Israel.
Amos Hochstein, the Biden administration’s point man in the quest to end the war, discussed the terms of a possible deal with Israeli officials on Thursday during a visit to Israel.Mr.Hochstein earlier this week held two days of discussions with Lebanese officials in Beirut, which he said had made “additional progress.” But Israel and Hezbollah have both pledged to keep fighting during the negotiations, and the violence appears only to have intensified.Bachir Khodr, the head of the Baalbek-Hermel governorate in eastern Lebanon, said Israeli strikes had killed nearly 50 people in his province on Thursday.
The attacks struck more than a dozen towns and villages, he said on social media, describing it as some of the most violent bombardment of the war.At least 10 of those killed were from the village of Flaoui, Lebanon’s health ministry said.The state-run news agency reported that children were among the d...