BEIRUT: The head of the Lebanese parliament's foreign affairs committee, MP Fadi Alama, said: “The number of attacks in southern Lebanon has exceeded 5,736 as of July 15, resulting in 538 deaths and 1,850 injuries.”
On Wednesday, the Foreign Affairs Committee met with ambassadors from the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, the UK and Canada to present the results of Israel's offensive in southern Lebanon as part of preparations for the “post-ceasefire phase of government work”.
“Representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations were surprised when we talked about the 1,800 hectares of land that had been intentionally burned by the Israeli enemy,” said MP Alama. “They were also surprised by the number of schools that were targeted and the number of students who could not finish their studies and had to move to other places. They were also informed about 28,000 new families who had to be evacuated from the targeted areas every day.”
The MP said the government needs to come up with plans and plans as soon as possible.
“The losses to life, health, cities, agriculture and the environment resulting from Israeli attacks are enormous,” said Wael Abu Faour, a member of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee. “Initial estimates from Lebanese institutions indicate that the cost has so far been around $2.2 billion, in addition to other damage and losses.”
“This is a new challenge for the Lebanese government to deal with in Lebanon’s Arab and international relations,” Abu Faour said. “The government is bankrupt and cannot shoulder such responsibility. But at the same time, the government cannot abdicate its responsibility to its citizens, despite local political debates about the possibility of war or the reasons of some parties.”
The conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli army continued on Wednesday. Israeli media reported that “43 communities were evacuated to the north, and more than 1,500 buildings, vehicles and infrastructure were damaged in the north. Additionally, six industrial areas were affected and hundreds of businesses were forced to close due to Hezbollah attacks.”
Israel hit the towns of Kafr Shuba, Tyre Harfa and Houla with airstrikes and artillery fire on Wednesday, and also hit a house in Kfar Hammam, damaging it. The small village is located in the Hasbya district, on the eastern side of the Nabatiyeh governorate.
Hezbollah has released a new video recorded by an Israeli Hudhud drone, showing footage from inside Ramat David air base, about 50 km from the Lebanese border.
As Hezbollah reported, “the footage was captured on Tuesday using a drone.”
A new eight-minute video released by Hezbollah shows several sensitive areas within the base, including aircraft fuel tanks, the headquarters of 109th Air Force Base, the Iron Dome missile defense platform, and an ammunition depot. It also reveals the locations of the headquarters of 157th and 105th Air Force Bases. Hezbollah has also included images of the base commander's office, revealing intricate details of the facilities.
This is not the first time Hezbollah has used such a tactic. Previously, Hezbollah released aerial images of significant structures captured by similar drones in Haifa and the Golan Heights.
Israeli media have been slamming the situation, with one outlet saying: “Hezbollah’s video exposing our vulnerabilities for over eight minutes is a disgrace.”
However, the Israeli military has downplayed the incident, claiming that the footage was taken by a drone designed for photographic purposes and would not affect the base's operations.
A Hezbollah source linked the timing of the video's release to a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington.
Amid the developments, the Israeli military announced on Wednesday that its “reserve brigade has completed a simulation exercise in Lebanon.”
Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has expressed support for a war against Hezbollah, saying: “The sooner the better.”
However, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Simona Halperin insisted that while Tel Aviv was prepared for a military confrontation with Lebanon, it still preferred to seek a diplomatic solution.
She stressed that Israel is not interested in a large-scale war. “We cannot rule out a situation where Israel may be forced to wage a large-scale war on the northern front,” she added.
Coinciding with Israel's declaration of war, the Canadian embassy in Lebanon has issued new guidance to its citizens.
It urges “Canadians, permanent residents, spouses and dependent children of permanent residents to heed travel advice and leave the country while commercial flights are operating.”
The embassy emphasizes its support for individuals in obtaining necessary travel documents and keeping families together during this process.
The escalation in violence comes as thousands of Lebanese expatriates with dual citizenship, including from Canada, the United States and Europe, travel to Lebanon for the summer holiday.
