Escalating Violence: Israeli Airstrikes Target Southern Lebanon
On Wednesday, a series of Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the capital city of Beirut resulted in the tragic deaths of 27 individuals, as confirmed by local officials. In the city of Nabatiyeh, more than half a dozen strikes struck both the city and its surrounding areas. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, these attacks led to the loss of 16 lives and left 52 others injured. Among the deceased was Ahmad Kahil, the mayor of Nabatiyeh, whose death was reported by provincial governor Huwaida Turk.
Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the strikes, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting a municipal council meeting that was convened to discuss urgent relief efforts in Nabatiyeh. In response, the Israeli military asserted that it was focusing on Hezbollah command centers and weapons depots that were allegedly situated within civilian locales.
UNIFIL Reports Incident with Israeli Forces
The United Nations peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL, reported that Israeli troops fired upon their watchtower located in southern Lebanon. This incident has sparked growing international criticism regarding Israel’s reported targeting of UNIFIL peacekeepers in recent days. In a statement released on Wednesday, UNIFIL remarked, “Yet again we see direct and apparently deliberate fire on a UNIFIL position.”
Details from the peacekeeping mission indicated that on Wednesday morning, peacekeepers stationed near Kfar Kila witnessed an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Merkava tank firing at their watchtower. This attack resulted in the destruction of two cameras and damage to the watchtower itself. Additionally, UNIFIL previously reported that on Sunday, Israeli troops had “forcibly entered” a UNIFIL position near the village of Ramia, crossing the UN-mandated Blue Line with the deployment of two tanks. Following this, Israeli forces discharged smoke rounds near peacekeepers, causing 15 personnel to suffer from skin irritations and gastrointestinal issues.
Furthermore, UNIFIL indicated that Israeli troops obstructed a crucial logistical movement near Mays al-Jabal the previous Saturday. In light of these events, the peacekeeping mission reiterated, “We remind the IDF and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times.”
Dire Humanitarian Crisis in Northern Gaza
The situation in northern Gaza remains critical, with the top UN humanitarian official accusing Israel of actively blocking the delivery of essential aid. Acting humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya addressed an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, highlighting that from October 2 to October 15, there was no food entering northern Gaza, except for a minimal amount allowed in during a brief window.
“All essential supplies for survival are running out,” she stated. “There is now barely any food left to distribute, and most bakeries will be forced to shut down again in the next several days without additional fuel.” Msuya also revealed that throughout Gaza, less than one-third of the 286 humanitarian missions coordinated with Israeli authorities during the first two weeks of October were executed without significant incidents or delays.
She painted a grim picture of the escalating suffering in Gaza, noting, “The level of suffering and reality in Gaza is brutal and worsens every day as Israeli bombs fall, fierce fighting continues, and supplies essential for people’s survival and humanitarian assistance are blocked at every turn.”
During the same emergency meeting, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the United Nations, insisted that Israel must take more decisive action to address “the intolerable and catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza.” She emphasized that the United States will closely monitor Israel’s actions on the ground. Thomas-Greenfield alluded to a recent warning from the US to Israel, urging them to facilitate more aid or risk losing military funding.
While she acknowledged that two dozen aid trucks had entered northern Gaza for the first time in several weeks, she stressed that progress remains “insufficient.” She urged Israel to follow through on its commitments, stating that only tangible actions would lead to real improvement. “A ‘policy of starvation’ in northern Gaza would be horrific and unacceptable and would have implications under international law and US law,” Thomas-Greenfield cautioned. “The government of Israel has stated that this is not their policy, that food and other essential supplies will not be cut off, and we will be watching to ensure that Israel’s actions align with this commitment.”
