Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the Lebanese people to “rise up to reclaim their country,” stating that they are “standing at a critical crossroads.”
Netanyahu warned the people of Lebanon that they face “destruction and suffering” similar to what the Palestinians are experiencing in the Gaza Strip if they do not “liberate” their country from Hezbollah.
In a video address directed at the Lebanese population, Netanyahu said, “You have a chance to save Lebanon before it plunges into a prolonged war that will bring destruction and suffering akin to what we see in Gaza.”
He added, “I say to you, people of Lebanon, free your country from Hezbollah so that this war may end… You are at an important crossroads… Rise up and reclaim your country… If you do not, Hezbollah will continue to wage war against Israel from densely populated areas at your expense. They do not care if they drag Lebanon into a broader conflict.”
In a related context, the Lebanese government announced on Tuesday that the death toll from the Israeli war on Lebanon since October 8, 2023, has risen to 2,119 martyrs and 10,019 wounded.
The Ministry of Health stated in a report that “over the past 24 hours, 36 martyrs and 150 wounded were recorded, bringing the total since the beginning of the events to 2,119 martyrs and 10,019 wounded,” according to the official Lebanese news agency.
Nasser Yassin, the coordinator of the government’s emergency committee and Minister of Environment, said in a statement on Tuesday, “In the past 24 hours, 137 airstrikes were recorded, bringing the total number of assaults since the beginning of the aggression to 9,400 attacks.”
He added that “990 centers have been opened to accommodate displaced people, including 781 centers that have reached their maximum capacity, with 181,700 displaced individuals registered in shelter centers.”
He continued, “The ministerial emergency committee will handle the reception and distribution of international aid to the displaced at the provincial level, through a clear and transparent mechanism.”
Since September 23, Israel has been waging a war on Lebanon through unprecedentedly intense and brutal airstrikes that have even targeted the capital, Beirut, alongside a ground incursion into the south, ignoring international warnings and United Nations resolutions.
Daily, Hezbollah retaliates by launching rockets, drones, and artillery shells targeting military sites and settlements across Israel. While Tel Aviv reports some of its casualties and material losses, Israeli military censorship imposes strict secrecy on most of the losses, according to observers.
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