Wed Sep 25 13:31:17 UTC 2024: ## Lebanon Calls for US Intervention as Hezbollah Confirms Commander’s Death in Israeli Strike

**BEIRUT, LEBANON** – Israel launched a third day of airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Wednesday, raising fears of an escalation in the conflict and prompting calls for US intervention. The strikes came after Hezbollah confirmed the death of a senior commander, Ibrahim Qubaisi, in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut.

Hezbollah retaliated by launching a rocket targeting Mossad headquarters in Tel Aviv, which was intercepted by the Israeli military.

The escalating violence has left a trail of destruction and displacement in Lebanon, with at least 569 people killed and 1,835 wounded since Monday. Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib blamed Israel’s attacks for the dire situation and declared that only the US can “really make a difference” in ending the conflict. He stressed that the US, as Israel’s long-time ally and biggest arms supplier, holds the key to “our salvation”.

The UN Security Council is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss the conflict, while the US President Joe Biden called for a diplomatic solution and de-escalation of the situation. However, Bou Habib criticized Biden’s address as “not strong, not promising” and urged stronger action.

As the fighting intensifies, Lebanon’s Prime Minister is expected to meet with US officials in the coming days. Meanwhile, displaced families are struggling to find shelter and face growing fears of further violence.

In response to the escalating conflict, Britain has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and is deploying 700 troops to Cyprus to assist in evacuations.

The Israeli military has defended its strikes, claiming they are targeting Hezbollah military infrastructure. However, the Lebanese government and residents have condemned the attacks, arguing that they are targeting civilians.

The ongoing conflict in Lebanon, coupled with the year-long war in Gaza, raises concerns of a regional escalation with potentially devastating consequences.

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