Despite some media reports claiming a ceasefire could happen in a matter of hours, Israeli airstrikes continue apace across Lebanon. As has been the case throughout their war, the targeting is in no way confined to Hezbollah militants.
Today, during the course of their multiple airstrikes against the city of Baalbek and surrounding areas, Israel hit a gathering point for civil defense workers, killing four paramedics. Two more were killed in other attacks around the city.
Deliberate attacks on paramedics and medical centers have been a constant in the air war, and a lot have also been slain in secondary attacks trying to rescue survivors from previous Israeli strikes. In the past year, 178 Lebanese paramedics have been killed, and 279 wounded. 246 rescue vehicles, mainly ambulances, have been struck in those attacks.
The attacks on ambulances continued today as well, with one of the strikes on the coastal city of Tyre hitting and destroying an ambulance. The crew inside, surprisingly, survived that attack.
The Lebanese Health Ministry has documented hundreds of Israeli attacks on health care workers, and their attacks have forced at least eight hospitals to close, with at least seven others operating at partial functionality amid the chaos of the offensive.
The most high profile Israeli attack on a hospital was against Sahel General Hospital, in southern Beirut. Israel claimed the hospital contained a bunker full of money and gold belonging to Hezbollah, but the hospital gave international journalists access to the area, including the building that was supposedly the “secret entrance,” and they found no evidence of any of Israel’s claims. Israeli attacks on southern Beirut continued, of course.
I agree now more than ever with Norman Finkelstein's comments during the last Israeli attacks on Lebanon regarding the complete lack of self-respect the Lebanese government (exception being Hezbollah) displays. Here you have a country backed by a superpower engaging in genocidal violence against even Lebanon now (ethnic cleansing, mass murder and erasing entire towns and their physical histories.) This after swelling the population of the country twice, with Palestinian then Syrian refugees. Lebanon can't expel the US ambassador why? Lebanon accepts an IDF vet as a "US" negotiator why?
Have some self-respect, expel these people from the country at minimum. How many times must Israel and the US attack Lebanon before the message gets across that there isn't going to be any diplomacy with these rabid lunatics?
How sad for the Lebanese that so much of their 'leadership' enjoys to roll around in a defeat puddle. We can hope Hezbollah gains respect from the rest of their society and the Arab world.
The rest of the world is a puddle of crap for not stopping the genocide.
Lebanon no longer has control of its own country,but it is responsible for the missiles fired from its territory.
Lebanon hasn’t been in control since Israel invaded in 1982. It has no Air Force, or air defense. It’s a calf ready to be slaughtered whenever Israel chooses.
Let Lebanon evict Hez,and then therewill bepeace.
Let the U.S. stop the flow of $$$$ and bombs, etc, and there will be peace.
We, the indispensable nation, are feeding two wars. Ukraine is a war. Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, are genocides.
We stop the music. Killing stops.
There was no Hezb prior to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Fact.
Hezbollah is an elected portion of Lebanese government, but you know that.
Next year, no one will give a damn about any middle eastern sovereignty.
A living proof of what cultural colonialism does to the collective psyche of people. French collonialism made Beirut the place where rich went to play. Lebanese were thought to believe that they are not Arabs but Phoenicians. Bith Christian and Sunni Lebanese consudered themselves European, were given privileges in trade and jobs in administration. Shia Lebanese were liwer classes. Things have changed after covil war, and many influential Christians and Sunni are allied with Hezbollah. But residual cultural hatred remains. While it is incresingly clear even to the densest that Israel expansionism has had Lebanon in its sight, magical thinking still remains. If only — the thinking goes — we are again beloved by Europeans, we would be protected. Ans Western means ney, intellugence services and spies are handsomely rewarding this line of thinking. But these are a tiny minority now, however, a wealthy minority. They are keeping mouths shut, as Israel’s behaviour cannot be explained away. But the have an outsized influence in Lebanese state bureaucracy.
Ceasefire talk — and it is just a talk — is meant to offer support to this elite, or else they have nothing to show.
The problem for Israel is — so far unable to move on the ground.
Contrary to all the pundits — I think time is on Israel’s side. They are expanding munitions easily replaceable. But they are putting pressure in civilians — thriugh regular, cruel, barbaric disrespect for life. Lebanon is a perfect distraction frim Gaza where unspeakable horrors are takung place. Therefore, Lebanon will continue bleeding. Israel has the lyxury of time.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!!
Everyone’s rights!
Attacking the medics is always a war crime, and was something even the Nazis did not do.
It is the lowest of the low, and deserves severe punishment of everyong involved, including those complicit in it in the US.
That was documented by my wife's uncle who was a medic in WWII. The Germans did not fire on our medics.
Received two Bronze Stars for bravery attending to wounded U.S. soldiers in the field of battle.
https://x.com/i/status/1852341572320301564
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1853110733397192950