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A cloud of smoke rises from southern Lebanon, signaling yet more attacks on the ground. Here, a moving vehicle traveling on the highway towards the capital, Beirut, was targeted by an Israeli drone. It's one of 20 locations reportedly hit in the area on Wednesday. Elsewhere, an ambulance was said to be targeted, killing a number of medics. They've been traveling around treating the injured and collecting bodies. In bright clothing, they stress, and in clearly marked vehicles.
Despite the ceasefire and the adoption of the World Health Assembly resolution on 21st May calling for the protection of healthcare in Lebanon, attacks have continued. Since the 2nd of March, according to WHO, there've been more than 190 attacks on healthcare that have resulted in the deaths of 128 healthcare workers and 332 injuries. It follows a devastating airstrike on a hospital the day before. The UN says its personnel in the south are working towards de-escalation, but despite a ceasefire, hostilities seem to be increasing, particularly along the Litani River, as
Israel reinforces its troops there to continue what is its largest incursion in the area for decades. This is the result. Funerals for those killed, including a family, four of whom were children. They make this truce and we keep getting killed. Either the truce is for all of Lebanon and they withdraw from all of Lebanon or welcome. Israel says it is intercepting rockets fired from Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire, and therefore it is compelled to act. Hezbollah has claimed at least one recent attack targeting Israeli troops.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Washington, peace talks entered their second day. The US president confirmed reports of a tense call he had with the Israeli prime minister, in which he told Benjamin Netanyahu not to resume strikes on Beirut. As I speak to you now for the second consecutive day and for the first time in many, many years, the leaders of the legitimate government of Lebanon and leaders from the government of Israel are seated at the State Department for the second day in a row, and hopefully today will present produce a joint statement and an action plan on a track for security in that country.
Lebanon wants a full, rather than a partial ceasefire, but as Israel issues more evacuation orders for parts of the south, the path to peace is perhaps more unclear than ever. Victoria Innes, TRT World. She's up.
