Israeli strikes pound Beirut amid hopes of a ceasefire
Israeli strikes have pounded a densely-populated part of the Lebanese capital and its southern suburbs, hours ahead of an anticipated announcement of a ceasefire ending hostilities between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
A strike on Beirut hit the Noueiri district with no evacuation warning and killed at least one person, Lebanon’s health ministry said in a preliminary toll.
Minutes later, at least 10 Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs.
They began approximately 30 minutes after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for 20 locations in the area, the largest such warning yet.
As the strikes were under way, Israel’s military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the air force was conducting a “widespread attack” on Hezbollah targets across the city.
The Beirut strikes came hours before Israel’s security cabinet was scheduled to meet to vote on a US-brokered ceasefire deal aimed at ending more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said an agreement on a ceasefire could be imminent.
“In principle, (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu agreed and we are agreed as a government,” Bou Habib told Italian television station Rai.
“The final decision is for the Israeli cabinet,” the minister said.
According to media reports, Netanyahu is convening his security cabinet on Tuesday to approve a 60-day ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Asked whether a ceasefire was 100 per cent certain, Bou Habib said: “100 per cent nobody can give you. You have to ask Mr Netanyahu for that.”
Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, triggering the war in the Gaza Strip.
Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since.
In early September, Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment and sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire.
More than 3760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials.
The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes.
Israel says it has killed more than 2000 Hezbollah members.
Hezbollah fire has forced about 50,000 Israelis to flee homes in the country’s north and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv.
At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians.
More than 50 Israeli soldiers died fighting in the ground offensive in Lebanon.
with DPA and AP
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