In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Israel has intensified its offense against Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions. Israel has reportedly readied troops on the borders of Lebanon in preparation for a potential ground invasion, as stated by Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi. The situation has drawn international attention, with calls for restraint and warnings of a humanitarian crisis.

Lieutenant General Halevi addressed Israeli troops, emphasizing the dual purpose of the airstrikes: to prepare the ground for a possible entry and to degrade Hezbollah’s capabilities.

 “You hear the jets overhead; we have been striking all day. This is both to prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah,” Halevi told the troops.

“We are attacking all day, both to prepare the ground for the possibility of your entry, but also to continue striking Hezbollah,” he told a tank brigade, according to a statement from the military.

Hezbollah claimed to have targeted Israel’s Mossad spy agency near Tel Aviv with ballistic missile barrage on Wednesday. The missile, which was intercepted, was fired by the Lebanese group one day after Israel killed Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Muhammad Qubaisi in an airstrike in Beirut.  In retaliation, Israel reported hitting 60 Hezbollah intelligence sites among hundreds of targets across Lebanon.

The Israeli military stated it had struck 280 Hezbollah targets in a single day. The capital, Beirut, concentrates over 40% of the country’s population and it’s one of the areas that has been most heavily hit by Israeli strikes in the past few days.

Another area heavily hit is the south of Lebanon, in the governorates of Lebanon South and Nabatiyeh, which houses 18% of Lebanese citizens. Thousands have been fleeing the south to Beirut since the attack began.

Fearing an all-out war in the Middle East, the United States, France, and several other countries have proposed a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah with the aim to halt the ongoing violence and facilitate negotiations to prevent further escalation in the region.

The proposal was drafted on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to deliver a speech later. However, the hardliners in Israeli government rejected the ceasefire proposal.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz rejected the proposals and delivered a statement on X saying, “There will be no ceasefire in the north…We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organization with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.”

UN Says “Hell is Breaking Loose”

The conflict has had a devastating impact on civilians, with the United Nations reporting that Lebanon is “on the brink.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, warning that Lebanon is experiencing its bloodiest period in a generation. He emphasized the need for both sides to respect Lebanese sovereignty and for the Lebanese state to have full control over its weapons.

“Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon” he warned, noting that the exchanges of fire along the UN-patrolled line of separation “have expanded in scope, depth and intensity.”

UN reports suggest that the humanitarian crisis is severe, with nearly 200,000 Lebanese and over 60,000 northern Israelis displaced. The capital, Beirut, and the southern regions of Lebanon have been heavily hit, causing mass displacement and significant casualties.

International leaders have called for restraint and a diplomatic resolution. US Ambassador Robert Wood reiterated the need for a diplomatic solution consistent with UN resolution 1701, which aims to maintain peace along the Blue Line. He highlighted the origins of the conflict, pointing to Hezbollah’s actions and its buildup of weapons supplied by Iran as sources of instability.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the situation as a moment of “maximum danger,” urging all parties to pull back from the brink.

As international leaders call for restraint and a return to diplomacy, the situation remains precarious. The potential for a ground invasion by Israel looms large, with the international community watching closely and urging for a peaceful resolution to prevent further catastrophe.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s UNGA Visit

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is all set to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York where he faces a challenging situation at the UNGA. Just a year ago, he stood at the same podium, heralding a vision of peace that he believed would reshape the Middle East. However, the situation has drastically deteriorated since then as the country is embroiled in deadly conflicts on two fronts this time. Following the devastating war in Gaza, tensions with Hezbollah are escalating, and internationally, Israel finds itself increasingly isolated.

Netanyahu is known for his powerful oratory skills and has a knack for turning international appearances into political points back home. His previous U.N. speeches have made headlines, featuring dramatic visuals like brandishing a cartoon bomb to illustrate Iran’s nuclear ambitions or presenting Auschwitz-Birkenau’s blueprints, which is a concentration camp in Germany, to condemn the Holocaust denial.

Last year, Netanyahu focused on the burgeoning normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia, arguing that it demonstrated how broader Middle East peace wasn’t solely dependent on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He held up a map of the region and emphasized the word “peace” 42 times.

However, this year’s appearance comes at a precarious moment. Critics question whether his words will resonate, given Israel’s military campaign and Netanyahu’s polarizing image. The prime minister’s visit is expected to draw protests, particularly from students at New York’s Columbia University, where opposition to Israel’s Gaza campaign has been fierce.