Even though Lebanon’s acting prime minister expressed his optimism that a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel would be revealed “within hours,” Hezbollah’s new leader, Naim Kassem, pledged that his organization would continue to battle Israel until it was presented with ceasefire terms that it found acceptable.
After Israel enacted a bill on Monday prohibiting the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating, the UN Security Council “strongly warned against any attempts to dismantle or diminish” the organization.
Israeli airstrikes started bombarding the eastern Lebanese city almost four hours after an evacuation notice.
The entire city was under warning, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Baalbek’s ancient Roman temple complex, as well as the neighborhood and important thoroughfares in the Bekaa Valley.
The Israeli Defense Forces claimed to have targeted gasoline depots in eastern Hezbollah military facilities.
Tens of thousands of Lebanese, primarily Shia Muslims, were said to have complied with the directives and fled, many of whom had sought refuge in the city after fleeing other regions.
The group has been using megaphones to ask locals to evacuate, according to Bilal Raad, regional chief of the Lebanese civil defense.
