[74061] Escalation in Southern Lebanon: Israel deepens military activity and holds contacts with the US

Military and political escalation in Lebanon and Gaza

The security situation in southern Lebanon continues to escalate, as IDF forces continue with extensive airstrikes. According to a report in خبرفوری ࡆ اخبارفوری مذاکره ࡆ جنگ فوری, the Israeli army reached the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh after taking control of the Nabatieh al-Fawqa area. Simultaneously, the IDF spokesperson issued evacuation orders to the residents of the village of Ayn Qana, as reported in سپاه ایران | IRGC.

On the diplomatic front, Channel 12 reports that Israel has clarified to the American administration that targeted counter-terrorism operations, such as the strike attributed to it in the Ash-Shuweifat area in Beirut, do not constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreements, but are part of the "rules of the game" as interpreted by Israel. Conversely, The Wall Street Journal notes that Israel is working to pressure Washington to receive guarantees for operational freedom of action against Hezbollah within the framework of any future arrangement with Iran.

The tension is drawing sharp international reactions. French President Emmanuel Macron called the strikes in Lebanon "unjustified" (آخرین خبر). On the other hand, the Iranian Foreign Ministry expressed full support for Lebanon and for "defending its sovereignty" against what it called "colonial aspirations" (FarsNewsInt).

In the Palestinian arena, the Hamas organization claimed that the recent Israeli strikes, which claimed the lives of about 20 Palestinians, constitute a blatant violation of the "Sharm el-Sheikh" agreement and endanger the stability of the ceasefire in Gaza (SNN.ir). At the same time, it was reported that a suspect for spying on behalf of Israel was arrested by Hamas security apparatuses in the Gaza Strip (ایرنا).

It should be noted that the cited sources include media channels identified with Iranian opposition elements and the Revolutionary Guards, which tend to emphasize the narrative of "Israeli aggression" and ceasefire violations by Israel, while criticizing American policy in the region.