Israel launched new airstrikes on Thursday evening against Beirut's southern suburbs, stronghold of Iran-backed Hezbollah. Many residents evacuated following Israeli warnings, leading to long traffic jams out of the city. Lebanon's president has asked France for help to stop the bombings.
On Thursday evening around 10 p.m., Israel launched attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs, the Dahiyeh area, where Hezbollah has its strongest foothold. Defense chief Eyal Zamir said in a televised speech: "We strike with force, at the front and deeper into Lebanon." Israel urged residents in southern Lebanon and the Beeka region to evacuate. The area houses around 500,000 people, according to The Guardian. Images show traffic jams and mass flight from the city.
According to Lebanon's health ministry, at least 123 people have been killed and 683 injured in Israeli attacks so far. Israel announced late Thursday that the war against Iran is entering a new phase. Zamir added: "We will continue to dismantle the regime and its military capacity. We have destroyed 80 percent of Iran's air defense and 60 percent of their ballistic missile launchers."
The background is attacks by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28, which triggered responses from Iran against Israel and US bases. Hezbollah has attacked northern Israel, and Israel has responded with airstrikes and troops in Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have fled, and over a hundred have been killed, according to the country's health department.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has asked French President Emmanuel Macron for help to get Israel to stop bombing and enable a ceasefire. Macron urged on X Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to expand the war and for Hezbollah to disarm.
In the border area between Israel and Lebanon, warplanes and artillery are heard constantly. In the Israeli town of Metula, Hagai Rosenbaum lives and describes: "You have seven seconds to get to the shelter." His car was damaged by explosions, and he said: "They are not civilians, they are Hezbollah. Thank God we have destroyed everything."
The war also affects Swedish interests. Around 20,000 Swedes live in the Middle East, many in the United Arab Emirates. Thirteen EU countries have requested help with evacuations via the EU's civil protection mechanism, which covers up to 75 percent of costs. Sweden is considering it but has not activated it yet. A Swedish family was evacuated from Dubai to Cyprus on Thursday.
