Israeli warplanes intensified airstrikes on different parts of Lebanon, including the capital Beirut over the last several days. Air raids targeted the headquarters of Madi Electronics Firm and a car in Mar Elias area, leaving at least two people killed and 13 others injured during the late hours of Sunday, November 17.
Earlier during the day, Israeli airstrikes targeted a building belonging to the Baath Party in Ras al-Nabaa, in central Beirut. The onslaught resulted in the assassination of the Head of Hezbollah Media Relations Department Hajj Mohammad Afif Al-Naboulsi with a number of other people, and injuring several others.
The Lebanese resistance group mourned Hajj Mohammad in a statement issued on Sunday, describing him as a “lion in the media arena, who boldly declared to the enemy: ‘Resistance is a nation, and a nation never dies.’”
Hezbollah hailed Afif’s bravery as he insisted on defying Israel despite its continuous threats. “He was the man who was fully sure about reaching victory. The impact of his speeches was stronger than that of the Israeli air raids which failed to terrify him,” the group said.
“He held several press conferences in Beirut’s Dahiyeh during the war days, disregarding the Zionist threats til embracing martyrdom all the way to Al-Quds,” Hezbollah added.
The Israeli escalation in Lebanon took place as Hezbollah reportedly reacted with “great openness” to the US ceasefire proposal, according to media reports. It is worth noting that the Lebanese group authorized Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the proposal with the US special envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein. Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, November 19, after reports that he was to delay his visit until he receiving “more clarifications” regarding Lebanon’s position on the ceasefire.
Speaking to media outlets on Monday, Mikati said that he is looking forward to Hochstein’s visit to discuss “vague issues” in the ceasefire proposal face-to-face. “Lebanon’s response to the US paper was positive, but some points require discussion”, Mikati said. “The key matter for us in the US ceasefire proposal is the implementation of Resolution 1701. Lebanon is committed to its implementation, and our goal is its implementation in the south of Litani,” he emphasized.
Mikati on Tuesday shared a photo on X of his meeting with Hochstein and said, “During the meeting with the US presidential envoy Amos Hochstein, it was stressed that the government’s priority is to stop the fire and aggression against Lebanon and to preserve Lebanese sovereignty over all Lebanese territories, and everything that achieves this goal has priority.”
While Hochstein’s arrival to Lebanon has given some optimism to ceasefire talks, the Israeli war machine did not stop its deadly attacks on Beirut, after the Zionist fighter jets targeted an area near a government’s headquarters and a mosque in Zuqaq al-Blat neighborhood in central Beirut. The deadly attack left at least four people killed and 18 others wounded.
The escalation proves again that Netanyahu is the only hurdle in front of a ceasefire deal. Analysts suggest that Netanyahu is determined to perpetuate the war because it is the only guarantee for him to stay in office, after he could not achieve any of the goals that he set for the war in both Gaza and Lebanon.
Moreover, Netanyahu’s fears of losing his power may have aggravated after he fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant on November 5. At the time he cited his lack of confidence in Gallant regarding the management of the war in Gaza and Lebanon, as the primary reason for his dismissal. The decision was slammed by Netanyahu’s opponents, who considered it as an “act of madness”, accusing him of playing politics at the expense of Israel’s security. The step also triggered thousands of Israeli protesters to take to the streets foreshadowing further division within the Israeli people over Netanyahu.
