Tensions Escalate in Middle East: Israeli Strikes and Hezbollah Conflict

Israeli strikes in Beirut killed 22 and injured over 100, including a failed assassination of a senior Hezbollah official. The conflict, ignited a year ago by Hezbollah's support for Hamas, has intensified, with the UN peacekeepers' safety increasingly jeopardized as Israel expands its military campaign.

On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut claimed 22 lives and left more than 100 injured, according to Lebanese authorities. Simultaneously, a senior Hezbollah official narrowly escaped an Israeli assassination attempt, security sources disclosed.

The ongoing conflict began a year ago when Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed group, supported Hamas during the onset of the Gaza war. Tensions have surged recently, with Israel launching numerous assaults on strategic locations, including Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley.

In addition to these events, two UN peacekeepers were wounded by Israeli tank fire at a watchtower. The safety of over 10,000 UNIFIL personnel in Lebanon is increasingly at risk as operations near a standstill amid escalating hostilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)