Israel expands its bombardment in Lebanon as thousands flee widening war – National

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

******* expands its bombardment in Lebanon as thousands flee widening war – National

Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs late Saturday as ******* expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, also striking a ************ ******** camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and ****** fighters.

Thousands of people in Lebanon, including ************ refugees, continued to flee the widening conflict in the region, while rallies were held around the world marking the approaching anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza.

The strong explosions began near midnight after *******’s military urged residents to evacuate areas in Beirut’s Haret Hreik, Choueifat and Burj el-Barajneh neighborhoods.

AP video showed the blasts illuminating the densely populated southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a strong presence. They followed a day of sporadic strikes and the nearly continuous buzz of reconnaissance drones.

*******’s military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 30 projectiles had crossed from Lebanon into ******** territory, with some intercepted.

Story continues below advertisement

Earlier on Saturday, *******’s ******* on the northern Beddawi camp ******* an official with ******’ military wing along with his wife and two young daughters, the ************ militant group said. ****** later said another military wing member was ******* in ******** strikes in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley.

The aftermath showed smashed buildings, scattered bricks and stairways to nowhere.

******* has ******* several ****** officials in Lebanon since the *******-****** war began, in addition to most of the top leadership of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah as fighting has sharply escalated.

More on World
More videos

At least 1,400 Lebanese, including civilians, medics and Hezbollah fighters, have been ******* and 1.2 million driven from their homes in less than two weeks. ******* says it aims to drive the militant group away from shared borders so displaced Israelis can return to their homes.

Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the strongest armed force in Lebanon, began ******* rockets into ******* almost immediately after ******’ Oct. 7 *******, calling it a show of support for the Palestinians. Hezbollah and *******’s military have traded ***** almost daily.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Last week, ******* launched what it called a limited ground operation into southern Lebanon after a series of attacks ******* longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others.

The fighting is the worst since ******* and Hezbollah fought a brief war in 2006. Nine ******** soldiers have been ******* in the ground clashes that ******* says have ******* 440 Hezbollah fighters.

Story continues below advertisement

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told reporters in Damascus that “we are trying to reach a cease-***** in Gaza and in Lebanon.” The minister said the unnamed countries putting forward initiatives include regional states and some outside the Middle East.

Araghchi spoke a day after the supreme leader of Iran praised its recent missile strikes on ******* and said it was ready to do it again if necessary.

On Saturday evening, ******** Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “******* has the duty and the right to defend itself and respond to these attacks, and it will do so.”

On Lebanon, he said: ”We are not done yet.”

Fleeing Lebanon on foot

*******’s military earlier Saturday said about 90 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into ******** territory. Most were intercepted, but several fell in the northern ***** town of Deir al-Asad, where police said three people were slightly injured.

At least six people in Lebanon were ******* in more than a dozen ******** airstrikes overnight and into Saturday, according to the Lebanese state-run National News Agency.

Nearly 375,000 people have fled from Lebanon into Syria in less than two weeks, according to a Lebanese government committee.

Associated Press journalists saw hundreds continuing to cross the Masnaa Border Crossing on foot, crunching over the rubble after ******** airstrikes left huge craters in the road leading to it on Thursday. Much of Hezbollah’s weaponry is believed to come from Iran through Syria.

Story continues below advertisement

“We were on the road for two days,” said Issa Hilal, one of many Syrian refugees in Lebanon who are now heading back. “The roads were very crowded … it was very difficult. We almost ***** getting here.” Some children whimpered or cried.

Other displaced families now shelter alongside Beirut’s famous seaside Corniche, their wind-flapped tents just steps from luxury homes. “We don’t care if we ****, but we don’t want to **** at the hands of Netanyahu,” said Om Ali Mcheik.

The ******** military said special forces were carrying out ground raids against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. It said troops dismantled tunnel shafts that Hezbollah used to approach the ******** border.

More evacuation orders in Gaza

Almost 42,000 Palestinians have been ******* in Gaza during the war, according to the Health Ministry there, which does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths. Almost 90% of Gaza’s residents are displaced, amid widespread destruction.

************ medical officials said ******** strikes in northern and central Gaza on Saturday ******* at least nine people. One in the northern town of Beit Hanoun ******* at least five, including two children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Another hit a house in the Nuseirat ******** camp, ******** at least four, Awda hospital said.

*******’s military did not have any immediate comment but has long accused ****** of operating from within civilian areas.

Story continues below advertisement

An ******** airstrike ******* two children in Gaza City’s Zaytoun neighborhood, according to the civil defense first responders’ group that operates under the ******-run government.

*******’s military warned Palestinians to evacuate along the strategic Netzarim corridor in central Gaza that was at the heart of obstacles to a cease-***** deal. The military told people in parts of the Nuseirat and Bureij ******** camps to evacuate to Muwasi, a coastal area it has designated a humanitarian zone.

It’s unclear how many Palestinians are in those areas. ******** forces have often returned to areas in Gaza to target ****** fighters as they regroup.

&copy 2024 The Associated Press

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#******* #expands #bombardment #Lebanon #thousands #flee #widening #war #National

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up