Fighting rages in Lebanon; Hezbollah claims to have killed 17 Israeli soldiers

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© Israeli Air Force

Hezbollah has claimed that it had killed 17 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon over the last 24 hours. Israel, which had been attacking Hezbollah targets with fighter jets and missiles, has only just begun to send forces on the ground.

Israel expands military operations in Lebanon

Israeli authorities have said that over 100 rockets have been fired into Israel from Lebanon overnight.

Israel is currently attacking parts of Beirut and other areas in South Lebanon, which it says are Hezbollah-related targets. According to reports, the latest attack in central Beirut has killed nine people.

Hours ago, the IDF announced that it had struck Hezbollah’s headquarters. The IDF has also been updating the names of the deceased Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and operatives and just named Mahmoud Yusef Anisi, who it said was involved in Hezbollah’s weapons manufacturing chain.

Meanwhile, according to WHO Lebanon, over 346,000 people have been internally displaced, over 142,000 are in shelters, and several have been left without access to food and water. UN Chief Antonio Guterres continued to appeal for an immediate ceasefire.

US assisted Israel during Iran’s attack

The IDF said the US cooperated with them during Iran’s missile attack, but the exact details of the assistance are unknown.

While the US is currently backing Israel’s operations against Hezbollah, reports suggest that it has advised against any attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, President Biden had said that attacks on Iran’s oil facilities were part of the discussion with the Israeli leadership.

Countries advise against travel to the region

Several nations, including India, have advised their citizens against travel to the region. Some countries have even asked their citizens to leave the affected areas.