Israeli offensive devastates Lebanon, deepening humanitarian crisis

Beirut: Southern Lebanon is witnessing widespread devastation as Israeli forces intensify ground and aerial attacks, targeting towns, infrastructure and civilian areas in an escalating military campaign. The renewed offensive has struck multiple locations, including Kafr Ramman, where a car was hit, killing at least four people, and Nabatieh al-Fouqa, where a drone strike near a hospital left one dead and another injured.

According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, a series of strikes have hit towns across the Jabal Amal region, including Arsoon, Jowiya, Hadattah, Gemayzeh, Dbaybin and Haris. The attacks extend beyond frontline zones, with strikes reported in areas around the capital, raising concerns over the widening scope of the assault.

The offensive, which intensified following a major ground operation launched on March 16, is reportedly aimed at isolating southern regions. Villages in the south have been targeted systematically, with key infrastructure such as bridges and transport routes destroyed. Analysts say the area south of the Litani River has effectively been cut off, leaving at least 150,000 people without access to humanitarian aid

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated on March 2, has already claimed more than 1,400 lives, including civilians and soldiers, and displaced nearly one million people—around a fifth of Lebanon’s population. The destruction has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with large sections of the population stranded and essential services disrupted.

Despite a ceasefire announced in November 2024, hostilities have continued unabated. The violence intensified after the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in late February, which prompted retaliatory rocket fire from Hezbollah, followed by a broad escalation of Israeli attacks across Lebanon.