Only United States can stop war, says Lebanon authorities

An Israeli airstrike on Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Tuesday as cross-border rocket exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah raised concerns of an escalating war in the Middle East. Lebanon has stated that only Washington can intervene to stop the hostilities.

Hezbollah confirmed early Wednesday that Ibrahim Qubaisi, a senior commander and head of the group’s missile and rocket forces, was killed by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday in the Lebanese capital, a claim previously announced by Israel.

Since Monday morning, Israeli attacks have resulted in 569 deaths, including 50 children, and 1,835 wounded in Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad.

This intensification of Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah has raised fears that the conflict with Hamas in Gaza, ongoing for nearly a year, may spill over and destabilize the broader Middle East. In response, Britain has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and is deploying 700 troops to Cyprus to facilitate evacuations.

The UN Security Council has scheduled a meeting on Wednesday to address the conflict. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern, stating, “Lebanon is on the edge. The people of Lebanon, Israel, and the world cannot afford for Lebanon to become another Gaza.”

At the UN General Assembly, U.S. President Joe Biden called for de-escalation, emphasizing, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even in escalation, diplomacy can provide solutions.”

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib criticized Biden’s remarks as insufficient, emphasizing that the U.S. is the only country capable of influencing the situation in the Middle East, given its strong ties with Israel.

In Beirut, thousands of displaced people from southern Lebanon are seeking refuge in schools and other shelters. At the Technical Institute of Bir Hassan, volunteers distributed essential supplies, including water, medicine, and food. Rima Ali Chahine, a 50-year-old woman at the shelter, described the difficult conditions for both adults and children, who are under extreme stress.

Early Wednesday, Israeli strikes targeted Jiyyeh, a coastal town 75 kilometers north of the Israel-Lebanon border, according to security sources.

Israel’s Offensive Against Hezbollah

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Bou Habib estimates that half a million people have been displaced in Lebanon. He also mentioned that the Lebanese prime minister hopes to meet with U.S. officials in the coming days.

Efforts by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to mediate a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, now in its second year, have so far failed. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemning Israeli actions in both Lebanon and Gaza during his speech to the UN General Assembly.

The Israeli military reported that its air force conducted extensive strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, targeting weapons depots and rocket launchers. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hezbollah’s operational capabilities had been significantly weakened and pledged that the strikes would continue. He also accused the UN of failing to prevent Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks.

Hezbollah, in turn, claimed to have launched rocket attacks on the Dado military base in northern Israel and the Atlit naval base near Haifa, among other targets.

Suspected Israeli missiles also struck the Syrian port city of Tartous, but Syrian military sources said the missiles were intercepted. Israel did not comment on these reports.

Since the war in Gaza began in October, Israel has intensified airstrikes against Iran-aligned groups and their weapons transfers in Syria. Funerals were held on Tuesday for Lebanese civilians killed by Israeli strikes, including one for Jouri Helal, whose father Mohammed Helal remained defiant amidst the mourning in the city of Saksakiyeh.