Lebanese fear US has given green light for Israeli escalation

Lebanese fear US has given green light for Israeli escalation Israel has attacked south Lebanon dozens of times recently, as locals fear a renewed military escalation. Beirut, Lebanon - Fears are rife in Lebanon over another Israeli military escalation, similar to the one in 2024 that killed more than 4,000 people and displaced around a quarter of the country’s population . The intensification comes amid growing pressure by the United States and Israel on Lebanon to ensure the Shia group Hezbollah disarms. The decision to bring Hezbollah’s weapons under state control is popular in Lebanon outside of the group’s traditional support base. But analysts also fear internal tensions could lead to violence if Israel continues to attack the country without impunity and disarmament is pushed through by force. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Trump’s neo-con turn on Iran list 2 of 3 Tennis: Amateur stuns Sinner to win 1m in ‘One Point Slam’ in Melbourne list 3 of 3 Russia turning occupied Donbas into ‘huge military base to frighten Europe’ Tensions are also growing after a meeting in Florida between US President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 29, when the latter was reportedly given a green light to begin a new offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Despite an ongoing ceasefire since November 2024, Israel has attacked Lebanon almost daily. Tens of thousands of Lebanese are still displaced from their homes along Lebanon’s southern border. And now the fear is that military action will ramp up. On Sunday alone, Israel launched around 25 attacks on south Lebanon , leaving many in the country worried about further widespread attacks. The United Nations says Israel has violated the ceasefire more than 10,000 times since November 2024. Continued violations Almost a year into the conflict that began in October 2023, Israel escalated its war on Lebanon, launching a devastating series of strikes between September and November 2024. Every region in Lebanon was hit by some kind of Israeli attack, including air strikes or drone strikes. However, the areas primarily targeted, the south, eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs (known as Dahiyeh ), are predominantly inhabited by Shia Muslims, the sect from which Hezbollah derives the majority of its domestic support. Among the dead in the attacks was the long-time leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. Then in October, Israeli troops invaded south Lebanon and fought Hezbollah on Lebanese territory. When the ceasefire was agreed in November, Israel was supposed to withdraw all its troops from Lebanese territory within two months. For its part, Hezbollah was to retreat to north of the Litani River and the Lebanese Army would deploy to south Lebanon. Attacks from both sides would also cease. In the last year, however, Israel has continued to attack Lebanon almost daily. Hezbollah has largely avoided responding militarily, and the Lebanese Army has also dismantled Hezbollah’s infrastructure in south Lebanon, according to Lebanese government and military officials . Israel withdrew most of its...

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