Israel invades Lebanon. Again

@DropSiteNews
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💢🇱🇧 BREAKING | Israel launched 100 strikes across Lebanon in 10 minutes Wednesday afternoon, targeting Beirut, the south, and the Bekaa Valley — hours after a ceasefire was announced and declared “effective immediately” by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sounds of ambulances filled the streets of Beirut from 3 PM local time. The Lebanese Red Cross head Georges Kettaneh told LBCI: “The wounded and casualties are numerous. We are doing everything we can to save them.” Several Beirut hospitals issued urgent blood donation appeals.

Neighborhoods struck in Beirut without prior warning included Salim Slem, Borj Abi Haidar, Corniche al-Mazraa, Bashoura, and the southern suburbs. Kaifoun and Bshamoun, east of Beirut, were also hit, according to L’Orient Today.

Across southern Lebanon, the cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Nabatieh were struck alongside villages including Adloun, Bazourieh, al-Abbassieh, Zefta, Sir al-Gharbieh, Ansar, and Ain Baal. In Sidon, a strike on the al-Zahraa complex wounded Al Manar correspondent Amin Shumer.

In the eastern Bekaa Valley, strikes hit Baalbek and villages including Hermel, Shemstar, al-Karak, al-Ferzel, Boudai, and Sohmor. Several people were wounded in Hermel. Two people were killed when a truck was struck between Hasbaya and Maymas.

The Amal Movement confirmed six people killed in an earlier strike on Srifa, a village in southern Lebanon near the coastal city of Tyre.

In Mansouri — another southern village along the Mediterranean coast — 13 residents, including the village mukhtar, lost contact after returning home following the ceasefire announcement, as the town came under repeated shelling.

Netanyahu has stated the ceasefire does not cover Lebanon, even as Hezbollah halted fire on northern Israel and invading ground troops, according to Reuters. Drop Site correspondent Lylla Younes reported warplanes back in the sky over Beirut at 8 AM local time, with ambulances running nonstop and people screaming in the streets.

Lebanese Prime Minister:

Our friends are called upon to help us stop the Israeli attacks by all means.

Perhaps they want to draw Iran back into war.

Death toll from Israeli strikes across Lebanon rises to 254, the Lebanese civil defense says.

There is no military logic for what Israel done today.

It was an outright act of brazen terrorism that would have been a major defining event had it been committed by any insurgent or terrorist group like IS or others.

This was a no-warning multiple bombing of a busy city centre with a huge number of civilian casualties.

Let's give Israel the benefit of the doubt and assume they are acting in self-defence against Hez along their Northern border. (But, you may be right).

Even on that ground it does not make sense.

I think today's outrage was either aimed at the Israeli domestic audience as an act of performative politics, or a pushback against yesterday's ceasefire efforts.

I also wouldn't rule out a crude attempt by Israel to stoke the sectarian divide within Lebanon. The Israeli airstrikes have been following Hez members as the entire population of the South has been pushed Northwards and towards Beirut beyond the Southern suburbs. And some Lebanese citizens are afraid because of that.

Either way, it was a blatant terrorist act.

Yet, I don't think we will be lighting up our public buildings with the flag of Lebanon or opening books of condolence.

For the sake of argument, I mean. Just working things through in my head here…

Good on Sanchez. Has our government said anything?