Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon this week, striking areas outside Hezbollah's control on Tuesday, including the predominantly Christian residential neighborhood of Mansourieh north of Beirut and the Jnah neighborhood in the heart of the capital. The strikes were conducted without warning, resulting in numerous casualties and forced displacement.

According to Lebanon's health ministry, a strike hit a health facility in the south, killing a paramedic. The total number of health workers killed since the start of the war has now reached 53. In Beirut, a building on the road to the airport was destroyed following an evacuation order.

Israel's military claimed it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut and killed a senior commander and another high-ranking figure from the Iran-backed armed group. Hezbollah joined the regional war on March 2 after the US and Israeli regimes attacked its ally Iran on February 28.

Israel has announced its decision to control large swathes of land in southern Lebanon, up to the Litani River about 30km from the border with Israel, to create a buffer security zone. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel would maintain security control over the territory even after the current war against Hezbollah ends, a plan that has drawn criticism from the UN.

Lebanon's health ministry reported on Tuesday that 1,268 people have been killed since the attacks began. The UN reported more than one million displaced persons. Many in Lebanon see Israel's strategy in the south mimicking that of Gaza—destruction, depopulation, and occupation—which the Lebanese government has called a violation of the country's sovereignty.

Source: www.bbc.com