News Details

• 12.00 am - 26 Sep 2024
• The Indian Express

Israel Hezbollah War Live Updates: US, allies call for 21-day ceasefire as Israel prepares for Lebanon ground invasion

Israel Hezbollah Conflict Live: The Indian Embassy in Beirut on Wednesday urged Indian citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon and “strongly advised” those present there to “exercise extreme caution” and leave the country as soon as possible. This advisory comes a month after the Indian embassy advised nationals against travelling to Lebanon amid escalating tensions.

What’s the latest? The United States, France, European Union, and several other countries have called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border, underlining that the conflict between the two countries presents an “unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation”. The call comes after Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi gave orders to widen airstrikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, possibly paving the way for a ground invasion in the region. Till now, over 600 people have been killed after Israel intensified its assault on Iran-backed Hezbollah targets on Monday, the Lebanese health ministry said.

A look at the conflict so far: Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have been escalating since October 2023. Hezbollah has fired rockets, missiles, and drones into northern Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza and its ally, Hamas. In response, Israel has conducted heavy airstrikes and targeted killings of Hezbollah commanders, threatening a broader ground operation. In a video message that made no comment on diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire earlier this week, Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah was being hit harder than it could ever have imagined.