Israel has expanded its military campaign in southern Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing that ground forces have advanced to positions north of the Litani River. The escalation includes intensified strikes and orders for residents to evacuate areas south of the Zahrani River. As southern Lebanon empties under bombardment, the Red Cross has warned of a worsening crisis.
On Thursday afternoon, the Israeli air force struck a southern suburb of Beirut for the first time in three weeks. This attack on the Lebanese capital follows a broader escalation in the south and deals another blow to a ceasefire meant to halt the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The intensification occurs as Israeli officials seek to pressure Hezbollah, despite an ongoing ceasefire. These military actions come ahead of U.S.-brokered security talks between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations at the Pentagon. However, the strikes in Beirut could complicate efforts by the United States and Iran to agree to a peace deal to end the war in Iran.