Israel intensifies strikes in Beirut

New Delhi, Sep 26: Major Tensions escalate without a response to international ceasefire calls, Israel has intensified its military strikes in Beirut, signalling a potential deepening of the conflict. Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s orders, Israeli forces have continued their operations in Lebanon with “full force,” despite appeals for a 21-day ceasefire from allies like the US, UK, and France.

The ceasefire was proposed to create space for diplomacy amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

On Wednesday night, Israeli air strikes hit around 75 Hezbollah targets, with Lebanon reporting 13 civilian casualties. At the same time, Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, including areas near Haifa, prompting further Israeli retaliation. The UN estimates that more than 90,000 people have been newly displaced in Lebanon since the fighting escalated earlier in the week, with an additional 110,000 displaced since the start of the conflict on October 7.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to continue attacks on Israel until a ceasefire is declared in Gaza, presenting a grim outlook for peace. Nasrallah even welcomed the possibility of an Israeli ground invasion, warning that it would create a “hell” for Israeli forces as reported by the western media. Despite Hezbollah’s losses, including key leaders, the group remains active, continuing to fire rockets further into Israeli territory.

Observers say that prolonged conflict carries risks for both sides. Israel’s air strikes have not yet neutralised the threat from Hezbollah, whose rockets remain hidden in tunnels and caves across southern Lebanon. Analysts suggest that airstrikes alone are insufficient to eliminate the threat to northern Israel.

Historical precedent from the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah shows that a ground invasion might eventually happen, but it could lead to a prolonged and costly affair.

As both sides harden their positions, the region faces the possibility of a broader conflict with humanitarian and geopolitical consequences and chances are that Israel may go for a limited ground assault.