An airstrike by Israel targeted a paramedics center affiliated with a Lebanese Sunni Muslim group in south Lebanon early Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of eight members, officials reported. This incident also prompted a retaliatory rocket attack from Lebanon that claimed the life of one individual in northern Israel.
The airstrike happened in the village of Hebbariye following a day of hostilities involving airstrikes and rocket exchanges between Israel’s military and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border. This escalation has raised concerns about further tensions along the frontier, which has remained active amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The strike, which occurred after midnight on Tuesday, struck an office belonging to the Islamic Emergency and Relief Corps, as confirmed by the Lebanese Ambulance Association. This attack represents one of the deadliest incidents since the violence began along the border.
The Lebanese paramedics association identified the names of the seven volunteers who lost their lives in the strike and condemned it as a blatant violation of humanitarian principles. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have reportedly requested the White House to reschedule a significant meeting concerning military plans for Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had abruptly canceled the meeting, indicating a strained relationship between Israel and the United States.
The cancellation came after the United States supported a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations on Monday, prompting Netanyahu to call off a planned visit to Washington by a senior Israeli delegation. This move signifies a deterioration in relations between Netanyahu and President Joe Biden, reaching a new low during wartime. Last week, the White House expressed its intention to present Israel with alternative strategies for addressing the remaining Hamas forces in Rafah, aiming to avoid a full-scale ground invasion, which Washington views as highly undesirable.
The prospect of such an attack has widened the gap between the United States and Israel, traditional allies, prompting speculation about potential limitations on military assistance if Prime Minister Netanyahu proceeds against President Biden’s wishes.
With his reelection campaign approaching in November, President Biden faces mounting pressure from both international partners and within his own Democratic Party to moderate Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Biden’s decision to abstain from voting on a UN resolution, diverging from the longstanding US stance of supporting Israel, signals a growing frustration with Netanyahu’s leadership.
In response, Netanyahu sharply criticized the US move, characterizing it as a significant departure from previous positions that could hinder Israel’s military operations and ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages in Gaza. US officials viewed Netanyahu’s reaction as disproportionate and expressed confusion, asserting that there had been no alteration in US policy.
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