Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the country’s military to continue the attack on Hezbollah with “all its strength,” dismissing international calls for a cessation of hostilities. The order was given at the height of tensions as the threat of war between Israel and Hezbollah became a lot more potent after a series of escalated air strikes by Israel across Lebanon.
At least 92 people were killed in Israeli air strikes on Thursday, Lebanon’s health ministry said, bringing the number of victims since the bombardment intensified earlier this week to hundreds. The latest escalation began on Monday, when Israel launched a sharp increase in military action against Hezbollah targets.
Hezbollah said one of its top members, Mohammad Surur, a head of the group’s drone unit was killed in an Israeli air strike that hit the apartment building in southern Beirut. The death of Surur is a harsh blow for Hezbollah’s military operations.
While the United States and several other international allies have appealed to both sides to accept a ceasefire, Netanyahu has stuck by his guns. He insists on Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah aggression. Skirting at a critical level, tension has been raised, raising the possibility of the conflict spreading beyond the Israel-Lebanon border.
