Israel Bombards Beirut Ahead of Key Leadership Meet on Ceasefire With Hezbollah

Lebanon: Israeli warplanes struck central Beirut and the city's southern suburbs on Tuesday, raising palls of smoke over the Lebanese capital ahead of a planned vote by Israel's leadership on whether to accept a US-brokered ceasefire aimed at ending more than a year of fighting with Hezbollah.

The Israeli military also issued warnings for 20 more buildings in Beirut's suburbs to evacuate before they too were struck — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the last moments before any ceasefire takes hold. Israeli ground troops also reached parts of Lebanon's Litani River for the first time in the conflict — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire.

Ahead of Ceasefire Meet, Israel Bombards Beirut

A ceasefire is not yet guaranteed, but Israel's security Cabinet, meeting on Tuesday afternoon, was expected to approve the US-backed proposal. Lebanese officials have stated that Hezbollah also supports the agreement. If all parties approve, the deal could mark a significant step toward ending the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which has heightened regional tensions and sparked concerns about a broader war involving Israel and Hezbollah’s backer, Iran, news agency AP reported. 

The proposed deal includes an initial two-month halt in hostilities, requiring Hezbollah to withdraw its armed forces from a large area of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would pull back to their side of the border. Thousands of Lebanese soldiers and UN peacekeepers would be deployed in the south, and an international panel led by the United States would oversee compliance from all sides.

Will Ceasefire Agreement Be Successful? 

But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz insisted on Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the UN peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, doesn't provide “effective enforcement” of the deal.

“If you don't act, we will act, and with great force,” he said, speaking with UN special envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday that Israel's security concerns had been addressed in the US-French-brokered deal.

“There is not an excuse for not implementing a ceasefire. Otherwise, Lebanon will fall apart,” Borrell told reporters in Fiuggi, Italy, on the sidelines of a Group of Seven meeting. He said the US would chair a ceasefire implementation committee, and France would participate at the request of Lebanon.

The bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs persists, despite growing optimism for a ceasefire expressed by Israeli, US, Lebanese, and international officials. Israel has continued its military operations in Lebanon, stating that the objective is to weaken Hezbollah's military capabilities. 

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta, marking the second such attack in recent days in this densely populated area near downtown. There were no immediate reports of casualties, and it remains unclear whether a specific individual was targeted, although Israel claims its airstrikes are aimed at Hezbollah officials and assets.

(With inputs from AP)