Lebanese Prime Minister Declares Country in War State Amidst Israeli Aggression

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared his country to be in a state of war due to "Israeli aggression," citing civilian and non-civilian casualties and destroyed villages. This comes amidst heightened tensions between Israel and Lebanon, particularly after Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The situation has escalated with daily cross-border fire between the IDF and Hezbollah. Israel's Foreign Minister has threatened to change the rules against Hezbollah, while Hezbollah's leader warned of possible invasions into northern Israel.

The Middle East has once again become the epicenter of geopolitical tension as the situation between Israel and Lebanon continues to escalate. On December 14, 2023, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared his country to be in a state of war due to "Israeli aggression," citing civilian and non-civilian casualties and destroyed villages [1]. This declaration comes amidst heightened tensions between the two nations, particularly after Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023 [1].

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a Shia militant group in Lebanon, has been ongoing since 2006. Throughout the years, both parties have been accused of targeting civilians, resulting in numerous casualties and damages to infrastructure. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, on November 5, 2023, an Israeli airstrike hit a car near Ainata, Lebanon, killing three children and their grandmother, and injuring their mother [1]. The Israeli military admitted to the attack, but Human Rights Watch called it a potential war crime [1].

Hezbollah, on the other hand, has been accused of targeting Israeli civilians. The elimination of the State of Israel has been a primary goal for the group, and they have been known to "only regard the Jews living in Israel as Zionists, who should be killed" [1]. In 2023, the most notable attack was on November 12, when a Hezbollah anti-tank missile killed an employee of the Israeli Electric Corporation and injured 21 other Israelis [1].

The conflict between the two parties has taken a toll on journalists as well. Both parties have been accused of targeting journalists, which is considered a war crime [1]. In October 2023, Reuters reported that Israeli forces had targeted journalists in missile strikes, killing their reporter Issam Abdallah and injuring four others [1].

The situation has escalated further with daily cross-border fire between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah. In response, Israel's Foreign Minister has threatened to change the rules against Hezbollah, while Hezbollah's leader warned of possible invasions into northern Israel [1].

Despite the ongoing conflict, both parties have shown signs of de-escalation in recent days. However, the situation remains volatile, and the potential for further escalation remains high.

References:
[1] Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present). (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved December 22, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Hezbollah_conflict_(2023%E2%80%93present)