Tensions rise on Israel-Lebanon border

Israel's fierce air strikes

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on September 19 that they had carried out several intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon, destroying 100 launchers, about 1,000 missiles, many buildings, military structures and weapons depots of Hezbollah. The move came after Israel confirmed casualties in Hezbollah's missile and drone attacks on the north of the country. Following the bombing, the IDF also lifted restrictions on movement and public gatherings for people in northern Israel and the Golan Heights on September 20.

Israel launches heavy airstrikes, destroying more than 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers

NNA news agency also reported that Lebanese authorities recorded 52 airstrikes across the south of the country on the evening of September 19. According to Reuters, citing three Lebanese security sources, this was one of the most intense Israeli bombardments in Lebanon since the beginning of the cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in early October 2023.

On the same day, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that they would continue the fight against Hezbollah. “The chain of military operations will continue. Our goal is to ensure that the communities in northern Israel can return home safely. Hezbollah will pay an increasingly high price,” Gallant stressed. According to Channel 13, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 19 convened ministers to consult on the new phase of the conflict.

Smoke rises after an Israeli attack in the village of Adshit (Lebanon) on September 19.

The Israeli airstrike came after two days of chaos for Hezbollah, which has been rocked by a series of explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies that killed 37 people and injured more than 3,000. A letter from Lebanon to the UN Security Council on September 19 said the explosive devices were sophisticatedly pre-detonated before entering the country. The UN Security Council will meet on September 20 to discuss the incident.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on September 19 accused Israel of being behind the incident, stressing that the country had “crossed all red lines,” and asserted that the series of explosions could be considered a war crime or a declaration of war. Israel has yet to comment on the incident.

Efforts to call for restraint

Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon on September 20 called on all sides to de-escalate tensions. Earlier, on September 19, the UK also called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. On the same day, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel to avoid war with Lebanon, stressing that escalating tensions would not benefit any side.

Hezbollah leader: Israel has crossed all red lines

In addition, Pentagon officials expressed concern that Israel could launch a ground war in southern Lebanon in the near future, according to The Wall Street Journal . US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on September 19 called for restraint from all sides, adding that he did not want to see escalations that could complicate efforts to find a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

UN adds nutrients to polio vaccine

The second phase of a vaccination campaign to protect 640,000 children in the Gaza Strip from polio will be supplemented with micronutrients – essential vitamins and minerals – and is expected to be carried out within four weeks, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement on September 19.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bien-gioi-israel-li-bang-cang-thang-tang-cao-185240920225858666.htm