Israel has advanced in its war with Lebanon and an even greater escalation is on the cards, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu released an ominous message to the Lebanese people in a video statement.
“You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering that we see in Gaza,” said the Israeli prime minister. “I say to you, the people of Lebanon: Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end.”
Netanyahu issued the warning as Israel escalated its invasion ‘against Hezbollah’ with the deployment of thousands of additional soldiers into a new region in south-west Lebanon.
Israeli military reported that 50 Hezbollah members were killed in air strikes on Monday, while the Lebanese health ministry said 36 were killed in the siege, with 150 others having been injured.
“So we went from ‘limited operation’ to Israel threatening what they did to Gaza—an ongoing genocide—in Lebanon,” said scholar and activist Dr Assal Rad on X (formerly Twitter).
A video shared on the micro-blogging platform showed Israel Defence Forces (IDF) allegedly raising the Israel flag on Lebanese soil.
“Deplorable. You raise your flag on other’s land and they will rally and resist until you leave. Israeli soldiers raise their flag in Maroun Al Ras, Lebano,” wrote professor Firas Maksad on X.
Deplorable. You raise your flag on others land and they will rally and resist until you leave.
Israeli soldiers raise their flag in Maroun Al Ras, Lebanon 🇱![CDATA[]]>🇧 pic.twitter.com/US3KMej7p2
— Firas Maksad (@FirasMaksad) October 8, 2024
Amid the chaos, China has offered to send it critically needed medical supplies. The China International Development Cooperation Agency, the Asian country’s primary foreign aid agency, confirmed this on Tuesday as the fighting escalated.
“At the request of the Lebanese government, the Chinese government has decided to provide emergency humanitarian medical supplies to Lebanon to help Lebanon carry out medical assistance,” said Li Ming the agency’s spokesperson in a statement.
