Sabotage on Hezbollah’s communications devices. Airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut. Extensive bombardments that have caused carnage across Lebanon.
This week has been the deadliest in Lebanon since the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 – and it appears that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to unleash soldiers on the ground.
In a statement from the northern border, Israel’s chief of staff General Herzi Halevi indicated that the ongoing airstrikes are setting the stage for broader operations.
He told troops they were designed to ‘prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah’ to eventually achieve the goal of returning the displaced citizens of northern Israel to their homes.
What is the current situation in Lebanon?
Israel has followed its attack on communication devices, some used by Hezbollah, with punishing airstrikes across Lebanon in the last week.
At least 558 people were killed on Monday – the deadliest day since the country’s 1975-90 civil war. More than 51 people were killed and another 223 wounded on Wednesday.
In Beirut, Israel assassinated several of Hezbollah’s top commanders with targeted strikes that incinerated entire areas in bustling neighbourhoods.
The United Nations warned that just in the last five days over 90,000 people have been displaced across Lebanon, and those numbers are expected to grow as the strikes continue.
Hundreds rushed to the capital and the coastal city of Sidon, sleeping in schools turned into shelters, as well as in cars, parks and along the beach.
Volunteers cooked meals for displaced families at an empty Beirut gas station that first became a hub for relief after a devastating port explosion in 2020.
For many in Lebanon, particularly those living in the Bekaa Valley in the east, Syria appeared to be the quickest route to safety.
Families poured in growing numbers, waiting for hours in heavy traffic to reach the relative safety of another war-torn country.
People waited hours more to be processed by overwhelmed border officials, and relief workers handed out food, water, mattresses and blankets.
Human Rights Watch said in a statement: ‘More than 1,000 Israeli strikes across Lebanon that have killed hundreds of people and injured thousands are placing civilians across the country at grave risk of harm.’
What is Israel planning?
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has been replicating its Gaza strategy and forcing thousands of Lebanese families to flee – with little to no idea where to find safety – amid the intense bombardments.
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Officials say they have not yet made an official decision to expand its military operations against Hezbollah – and have not said publicly what those operations might be.
Meanwhile, as fighting in Gaza has slowed, Israel has increased its forces along the Lebanese border, including the arrival of a powerful army division believed to include thousands of soldiers.
And on Wednesday, Israel announced it will further deploy two reserve brigades for missions in the north.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant last week declared the start of a ‘new phase’ of the war as Israel turns its focus toward Hezbollah.
Is an all-out war possible?
Tensions between Israel and the Lebanese militant group have steadily escalated over the last 11 months.
With the two sides on the brink of all-out war, Hezbollah has launched dozens of rockets into Israel, including a longer-range projectile that set off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and across central Israel.
Hezbollah said it had fired a ballistic missile at the headquarters of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, which it said was responsible for the targeted killing of some of its senior leaders.
Both the US and France are attempting to hammer out an interim accord to halt the violence with a view to opening broader diplomatic talks, Cyprus’ president Nikos Christodoulides said on Wednesday.
‘I don’t see that we can have an agreement but a form of interim agreement in order to avoid further escalation,’ he said. ‘This is the effort right now especially from the US and France.’
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is the closest European Union member state, just 164 miles from Lebanon.
It has been at the forefront of maritime aid efforts for Gaza and has a key interest on developments in Lebanon should there be a need to evacuate foreigners.
Christodoulides said he had spoken to Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati and French president Emmanuel Macron in New York and by phone with Netanyahu.
He added: ‘During the last days there are a lot of deliberations to avoid further escalation, especially with Lebanon.’
What is the advice for British citizens in Lebanon?
British nationals still in Lebanon have been urged to ‘leave now’ as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
Sir Keir Starmer said earlier on Wednesday: ‘The situation is escalating. We need the situation to de-escalate but I say to British nationals, “don’t wait, leave now”.
‘We are ramping up the contingency plans for an evacuation as you would expect, but my message is, “don’t wait for that”.
‘There are commercial flights still coming out. It is important to leave and to leave now.’
An estimated 10,000 British nationals are believed to still be in the country despite the travel warnings that were first issued months ago.
Britain is moving 700 troops to Cyprus to be ready for an emergency evacuation.
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