Airstrikes and rockets: Escalating conflict in Lebanon
Israeli fighter jets and drones conducted 11 airstrikes in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Sunday, targeting, among others, the offices of the financial association Al-Qard Al-Hassan, which collaborates with Hezbollah. Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, reported that an Israeli bulldozer destroyed the peacekeeping mission's control tower.
21 October 2024 09:43
The Israeli Air Force attacked a facility belonging to the Shiite organisation Hezbollah, located 550 yards from the Rafic Hariri International Airport in southern Beirut. According to eyewitnesses, thick black smoke was rising from the site of the bombing.
In the past few hours, as reported by the Reuters agency, Israeli fighter jets and drones carried out 11 airstrikes on the capital of Lebanon. Four targeted airstrikes were directed at buildings housing the offices of the financial association Al-Qard Al-Hassan. This institution supports Hezbollah by managing its finances. In Lebanon, it has over 30 branches, including 15 in Beirut.
On Sunday evening, Israel announced it would conduct precise airstrikes on facilities in Lebanon belonging to financial institutions associated with Hezbollah. Residents of the Lebanese capital were urged to evacuate areas near these facilities, said Daniel Hagerty, spokesperson for the Israeli army.
Lebanese counterattack
Meanwhile, the Israeli army reported that on Sunday, around 200 rockets were launched from Lebanese territory towards northern Israel. The shelling was reportedly carried out by militants of the Shiite organisation Hezbollah. Several rockets were launched towards Haifa, the largest port city in northern Israel.
On 23rd September, Israel launched a military operation called "Northern Arrows" against Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. As a result of one of the airstrikes on 27th September in Beirut, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed. Due to the conflict, over a million residents have fled from Lebanon.
Israeli bulldozer destroyed peacekeeping mission's control tower
Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, reported that an Israeli bulldozer destroyed the mission's control tower. Attacks on the blue helmets are actions that should be condemned, he said in an interview with Nove station.
The UNIFIL spokesperson emphasised that the situation is "disturbing." During a live conversation on the programme "Che tempo che fa," Tenenti highlighted that although Israeli authorities have appealed to UNIFIL to withdraw from their positions in southern Lebanon, "we have decided to stay; we have a UN Security Council mandate."
"It is important to stay and help the civilian population," said the spokesperson, deeming an international presence necessary in Lebanon.
