BEIRUT: The number of attacks in south Lebanon has surpassed 5,736 as of July 15, killing 538 people and wounding 1,850, said Fadi Allama, chairman of the Lebanese parliament's foreign affairs committee.
The Foreign Affairs Council met on Wednesday with ambassadors from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Britain and Canada to outline the outcome of Israel's ongoing offensive in southern Lebanon as part of preparations for the “post-ceasefire phase of government work.”
“Diplomatic delegations and international representatives were shocked when they heard about the 1,800 hectares that had been deliberately burned by Israel’s enemies,” said Rep. Allama. “They were also shocked by the number of schools targeted and the number of students who had to move elsewhere because they could not complete their studies. And they learned that 28,000 new families were being forced out of targeted areas every day.”
The lawmaker said there was an urgency for the government to develop a plan and roadmap as quickly as possible.
“The human, health, urban, agricultural and environmental damage caused by the Israeli attack has been enormous,” said Wael Abu Faur, a member of the parliament's foreign affairs committee. “Preliminary estimates by Lebanese institutions put the cost so far at around $2 billion, in addition to other damage and losses.”
“This is a new challenge for the Lebanese state, and it must be addressed in Lebanon’s Arab and international relations,” Abu Faur said. “The state is bankrupt and cannot shoulder such responsibilities, but at the same time it cannot abdicate its responsibilities to its citizens, despite controversial regional political considerations about the feasibility or justification of war among some parties.”
Hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army continued on Wednesday. According to Israeli media, “43 settlements were evacuated in the north, and more than 1,500 buildings, vehicles and infrastructure were damaged in the north. In addition, six industrial zones were affected, and hundreds of businesses were forced to close due to Hezbollah airstrikes.”
Israel attacked the villages of Kafr Shuva, Tair Harfa and Hula with airstrikes and artillery fire on Wednesday. It also attacked and destroyed a house in the village of Kfar Hammam. The small village is in Hasbaya District, in the eastern part of Nabatieh Governorate.
Hezbollah has released new footage taken by a Hudhood drone inside Israel, showing the inside of Ramat David air base, about 50km from the Lebanese border.
According to Hezbollah, “the footage was shot using a drone on Tuesday.”
The new eight-minute video released by Hezbollah shows several sensitive areas within the base, including aircraft fuel tanks, the 109th Squadron headquarters, the Iron Dome missile defense platform, and ammunition depots. It also shows the locations of the 157th and 105th Squadron headquarters. Hezbollah has exposed intricate details of the facility, including images of the base commander’s office.
This is not the first time Hezbollah has used this tactic. The group previously broadcast aerial footage of key facilities in Haifa and the Golan Heights, taken by similar drones.
Israeli media reacted strongly, with one saying: “The eight-plus minute video in which Hezbollah exposes our vulnerability is shameful.”
However, the Israeli military downplayed the incident, claiming the footage was taken by a drone designed only for photography and had no impact on base operations.
Hezbollah sources linked the timing of the video's release to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington.
Amid these developments, the Israeli military announced on Wednesday that “a reserve brigade has completed training simulating war scenarios in Lebanon.”
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed support for a comprehensive war against Hezbollah, saying “the sooner the better.”
However, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Simona Halperin insisted that Tel Aviv was prepared for a military conflict with Lebanon but still preferred a diplomatic solution.
She stressed that Israel has no interest in a major war. “We cannot ignore the scenario where Israel could be forced to engage in a broader war on the northern front,” she added.
In response to Israel's declaration of war, the Canadian Embassy in Lebanon has issued a new advisory to its citizens.
“Canadians, permanent residents, their spouses and dependent children are urged to follow the travel advisory and leave the country while commercial flights are available,” it said.
The embassy stressed that it was focused on helping individuals obtain necessary travel documents and ensuring that families could remain together during the process.
The situation was further aggravated by the arrival of thousands of Lebanese immigrants with dual citizenship from Canada, the United States and Europe for summer holidays.
