According to reports from the UN, its Interim Force in Lebanon patrolling its area in southern Lebanon came under attack 40 times on Saturday. The UNIFIL reported the gunfire had come from “likely non-state actors” trying to make it impossible for the patrol to continue its route. Although no peacekeepers were hurt, several patrol vehicles sustained bullet damages. UNIFIL then appealed to all parties in the region to respect its mandate and safety of its personnel.
Hezbollah Media Official Killed in Beirut Airstrike, Israel shelled an office of Syria’s ruling Baath Party in Beirut yesterday, killing Hezbollah’s Media Relations Officer, Mohammed Afif. Afif was one of the most significant figures in Lebanon’s resistance movement, and had been a senior member of the Hezbollah leadership, close to the late chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was also killed in an Israeli strike this September.
The Lebanese branch of the Baath Party confirmed his death saying, “He was an indispensable part of the media strategy in Hezbollah.” A pillar during his tenure, Afif was accused of controlling the Hezbollah-owned channel Al-Manar during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War.
This is the latest attack in the serial murders that are said to target the assassination of Hezbollah officials, such as Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, both of whom played a significant role within Hezbollah’s power structure.
Gaza Casualty Count Climbs to 30 as Israeli Airstrikes Flatten Beit Lahia Residential Building. An airstrike on Monday flattened a five-story residential building in Beit Lahia in Gaza, killing 30 Palestinians, including women and children, the Gaza Civil Defense Agency said. Dozens are still missing and buried under the rubble as rescuers search for survivors, spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
The strike comes as the blockade has deepened ongoing Israeli bombardments of the densely populated enclave, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. Since the conflict escalated last month, over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.
The attacks in Lebanon and Gaza continue to make headlines highlighting the expanding scope of the Israel-Palestine conflict, raising fear of a greater regional confrontation involving Hezbollah and armed groups. De-escalation still calls for the lips of the international community, although tensions are still high with no signs of a ceasefire observed.
