Not only is Israel bombing and committing genocide in Gaza, but it is now ramping up its violence against Lebanon. In the past few days, massive Israeli strikes have killed more than 500 people, constituting the country’s bloodiest day in decades. Over 100,000 people have fled the south of the country, fearing a potential Israeli ground invasion.
The bombing campaign was preceded by a huge terror attack, wherein Israel remotely detonated thousands of Lebanese pagers, wounding thousands of people, including women and children. It has also stepped up its missile attacks on Syria, killing dozens.
Israel’s intentions could barely be more clear. Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli called for the “Shia enemy population” of South Lebanon to be expelled and a buffer zone created on the border, sparking fears that the Gaza ethnic cleansing operation would be spread to Lebanon.
Joining MintCast host Mnar Adley today to discuss the perilous situation in West Asia are Marwa Osman and Batool Subeiti. Marwa is a journalist, university lecturer and TV show host from Southern Lebanon. She recently fled her home because of the Israeli bombing. Batool is an energy engineer by profession, antiwar activist and political analyst based in the United Kingdom.
In response, resistance groups across the region have promised to set up missile strikes against Israel. On Wednesday, Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it had carried out a drone operation against a strategic target in the Israeli port city of Eilat.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the Israeli attack until its objectives are completed and said that the war would take Lebanon to “the edge of the abyss.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended Hezbollah and pointed the finger at Washington, stating: “Hezbollah cannot stand alone against a country that is being defended and supported and supplied by Western countries, by European countries and the United States.”
Will this new stage of the war bring in new foreign powers and spark a wider conflict? What does the situation look like from the ground in Lebanon? And what will this mean for the region? Make sure to watch the full interview, exclusively at MintPress News.
Mnar Adley is an award-winning journalist and editor and is the founder and director of MintPress News. She is also president and director of the non-profit media organization Behind the Headlines. Adley also co-hosts the MintCast podcast and is a producer and host of the video series Behind The Headlines. Contact Mnar at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @mnarmuh.
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Also, check out rapper Lowkey’s video interview/podcast series, The Watchdog.
