Fears Of Middle East Escalation As Israel And Hezbollah Clashes Intensify

Israel said on Tuesday it had launched air strikes deep inside Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, prompting a retaliatory barrage of rockets aimed at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The exchanges mark a significant escalation in the cross-border conflict and raised concerns that, along with Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the wider Middle East region could become embroiled in warfare.

Israeli military forces launched air strikes against sites near the Lebanese city of Baalbek in the northeast of the country, targeting Hezbollah command centers containing “significant assets” such as drone and rocket installations, according to Israel.

Tuesday’s strike followed attacks by Israel in the same region on Monday night, and was the third wave of strikes aimed deep inside Lebanon over the past few days.

Iran-backed Hezbollah countered with its largest barrage of rocket fire since hostilities began in October, launching 100 missiles aimed at the Golan Heights, a disputed area that Israel captured from Syria in the six-day war in 1967.

There were few details or casualties on either side.

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Cease-Fire Hopes Fading

Meanwhile, hopes of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas continued to fade this week after Qatari negotiators said a deal remained elusive.

“We are not near a deal, meaning that we are not seeing both sides converging on language that can resolve the current disagreement over the implementation of a deal,” said Majed al-Ansari at a news conference on Tuesday.

He added that no timeline to a cease-fire and hostage/prisoner swap could be offered.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining Israeli hostages that it took in a violent attack on Oct. 7 until Israel fully withdraws from the Gaza Strip and agrees to release a number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that he will accept no other outcome than total victory over Hamas.

Aid Reaches Gaza Hospital

Inside Gaza, a World Health Organization aid team reached the Al-Shifa Hospital in the north of the city, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO.

As well as food and water, the team delivered 24,000 liters of fuel and medical supplies.

“The hospital continues to be minimally functional, with an urgent need for specialized health workers,” Ghebreyesus said.

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