Israel Destroys Bridge in Lebanon, Threatens Devastation in Gaza Region

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Israel has launched a series of attacks in Lebanon since early March, resulting in the deaths of at least 773 people and injuring over 1,933 more. The military expansion has targeted various neighborhoods in Beirut, including areas not previously targeted in the conflict.

On Friday, Israeli forces struck a bridge in southern Lebanon, destroying the Zrarieh Bridge spanning the Litani River. The Israeli military claimed that Hezbollah fighters were using the bridge to move between the country’s north and south, but provided no evidence to support this claim.

Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that further strikes would follow, warning the Lebanese government that it would face “increasing costs through damage to infrastructure and loss of territory” as long as Hezbollah remained armed.

Additionally, Israeli attacks hit areas in Beirut not previously targeted, including a residential building in the Bourj Hammoud district, the Jnah and Nabaa neighborhoods, and an ambulance in the south. The city has also seen increased displacement, with nine people, including five children, killed in Arki near Sidon, and eight more dying in the Fawwar area.

The conflict began on March 2, after Hezbollah launched drones and rockets into northern Israel following Israeli attacks on Iran that resulted in the death of the Iranian supreme leader. Since then, Israeli attacks have had a significant impact on Lebanon, with over 800,000 people forced from their homes.

Leaflets were dropped over Beirut on Friday, warning the country of the potential consequences of the conflict, citing Israel’s two-year assault on Gaza as an example. The leaflets also called on Lebanese citizens to strip Hezbollah of its weapons and offered QR codes for contact information.

The United Nations Satellite Centre has reported that about 81 percent of all structures in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks. The Norwegian Refugee Council described Lebanon’s displacement situation as “approaching a breaking point,” with conditions in collective shelters deemed desperate.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Beirut on Friday, amid the ongoing crisis.

Source: Al Jazeera