The Israeli military has launched a massive bombing campaign in Lebanon. It began with the remote detonation of thousands of personal electronic devices, followed by a strike that leveled a building in the Beirut suburbs. The bombings continued, resulting in the largest attack on Lebanon since the 2006 invasion by Israel. Over 1,300 targets were bombed, resulting in the death of at least 490 people, including over 90 children and women.
This death toll is the highest since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and has escalated since Israel and Hezbollah began exchanging strikes. The Israeli strikes hit hospitals, medical centers, and ambulances, in addition to targeting Hezbollah’s weapons supplies. This new front in Israel’s wars on Gaza and the West Bank has raised concerns among critics of U.S. policy, urging a halt to weapons transfers to Israel as the conflict intensifies.
Amid the ongoing bombings, calls for a U.S. arms embargo on Israel have been renewed. Rep. Rashida Tlaib highlighted the urgency of stopping weapon transfers to Israel to prevent further civilian casualties. The “Uncommitted” movement has also pushed for a commitment to an arms embargo on Israel from the Democratic Party and Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Despite the high civilian casualties, the U.S. has resumed shipments of bombs to Israel under pressure from pro-Israel lobby groups. The Biden administration’s decision to pause the transfer of certain bombs has been noted, but concerns remain about U.S.-supplied munitions being used in the attacks in Lebanon.
Stephen Semler believes that American-made munitions likely played a role in the recent bombardments in Lebanon due to Israel’s reliance on U.S. weapons. Instances of U.S. munitions being used in possible violations of humanitarian law have been documented, raising questions about the role of American weapons in the conflict.
The Israeli military has justified the strikes in southern Lebanon as necessary to secure the border and allow displaced Israelis to return home safely. However, the high civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure have raised concerns about the humanitarian impact of the bombings.
Israel has accused Hezbollah of using “human shields” by storing munitions inside civilian homes, which often leads to costly strikes on homes and hospitals in Gaza.
As the strikes commenced, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli called for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to invade and permanently take over parts of southern Lebanon. Chikli argued that Lebanon, despite having political institutions and a flag, does not meet the definition of a state. He blamed Lebanon for allowing Hezbollah to control its southern region and proposed a “buffer zone” beyond the Blue Line, moving the Israel-Lebanon border miles into Lebanese territory.
Chikli’s comments reignited concerns about Israel annexing and occupying southern Lebanon. An Israeli settler organization, Uri Tzafon, claimed that settling Lebanon is necessary for providing security to northern Israel and expanding Israel closer to its biblical borders.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon expressed grave concern for the safety of civilians amid the renewed Israeli strikes. They emphasized the importance of fully implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to address the root causes of the conflict and ensure lasting stability.
Hezbollah was established in response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in the 1980s with support from Iran. The current crisis is linked to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has resulted in significant casualties. Hezbollah and its allies have threatened to attack Israel as long as the conflict in Gaza persists.
Ceasefire negotiations have been ongoing for months, with critics accusing the US and Israel of political maneuvers while the conflict continues. Calls have been made for the Biden administration to use its military aid to Israel as leverage for a ceasefire deal.
The IDF stated that it is focused on neutralizing threats and will take necessary actions to achieve its mission. They claimed that Hezbollah has launched thousands of rockets and drones into Israel, prompting Israeli retaliation with munitions launched into Lebanon.
During a meeting with the UAE President, Biden mentioned efforts to de-escalate the conflict in Lebanon. However, critics argue that the US continues to provide arms to Israel, enabling the conflict to escalate further in the Middle East. Please rewrite the following sentence:
“The cat sat lazily in the sun, purring contentedly.”
“The lazy cat lounged in the sun, purring happily.”
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