Hezbollah Declares Open-Ended Battle with Israel

Hezbollah has threatened to launch a “open-ended battle of reckoning” with Israel, marking a sharp increase in violence. This announcement follows a series of rocket attacks from Lebanon targeting northern Israel. As tensions rise, world leaders are urging both sides to avoid a full-scale war.

Rocket Attacks and Airstrikes by Hezbollah

Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel over the weekend, causing widespread alarm. Some rockets landed near the northern city of Haifa, marking the deepest strikes from Lebanon since the Gaza war began. In response, Israeli warplanes launched their most intense airstrikes in southern Lebanon in nearly a year. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that hundreds of rockets had been fired at civilian areas.

Six people in Israel were injured, and Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, warned Hezbollah of further retaliation. “If Hezbollah did not understand the message, it will,” Netanyahu stated, promising to restore security.

Civilian Casualties and Displacement

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes have led to significant civilian casualties and displacement. Over the weekend, four people were killed, and nine were injured in the attacks. Israeli airstrikes also targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing 44 people, including a top Hezbollah commander. Among the dead were three children and seven women, according to Lebanese officials.

The ongoing violence has forced more than 100,000 people in Lebanon to flee their homes, moving northward to escape the conflict. Many Lebanese fear the situation will continue to worsen, as hopes for a ceasefire fade.

Hospitals Under Pressure

As the conflict escalates, hospitals in northern Israel are preparing for a possible surge in casualties. The Israeli health ministry has urged hospitals to move operations to underground facilities for added protection. At Rambam hospital in Haifa, patients are being transferred to secure underground areas. Meanwhile, elective surgeries have been postponed, with only urgent operations continuing.

Medical staff in Lebanon are also overwhelmed. The relentless bombardment has strained hospitals in Beirut, with thousands of injured civilians requiring immediate care.

The UN Warns of Escalation

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed deep concern about the situation. He has warned that Lebanon could become “another Gaza” if the fighting continues. He stressed that neither side seems willing to negotiate for peace, making the conflict even more dangerous.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN’s special coordinator for Lebanon, echoed these concerns. She called for immediate de-escalation, noting that “there is NO military solution that will make either side safer.”

Global Calls for Ceasefire

International leaders are pressing both Israel and Hezbollah to cease hostilities. The White House’s national security spokesperson, John Kirby, said the U.S. is urging Israel to consider a diplomatic solution. He emphasized that further escalation would not serve Israel’s long-term interests.

The European Union and the United Kingdom have also called for an urgent ceasefire. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlighted the risk to civilians in both Israel and Lebanon. He stated that a ceasefire is needed to allow people to return to their homes in peace.

The Human Cost

In Gaza, where fighting between Israel and Hamas rages on, the death toll continues to rise. Palestinian health officials reported seven people killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City on Sunday. The overall death toll in Gaza has surpassed 41,000, mostly civilians, since the conflict began last October.

Lebanese civilians are now facing similar dangers. Amal Cherif, a resident of Beirut, spoke about the fear gripping the city after recent airstrikes. “It’s the first time I felt the war is right around us. We don’t know where the next Israeli attack will be.

As the violence intensifies, the risk of a wider regional war looms. World powers are pushing for diplomacy. But both sides appear unwilling to back down. With civilians in Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza caught in the crossfire, the human cost continues to rise.