Lebanon has been treated as secondary during US and Israeli bombing of Iran and remains so even as Washington and Tehran discuss peace. The US suggests a deal is near, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say a return to war is unlikely, despite major differences. Iran insists Lebanon must be included in any agreement, yet Lebanon’s ceasefire appears increasingly weak as Israel expands its offensive and Netanyahu vows to crush Hezbollah. Israeli strikes have killed dozens, and troops have ordered evacuation of Tyre while pushing beyond a southern buffer zone. Israel’s actions may aim to pressure or destabilize talks, while domestic demands and drone threats drive continued attacks. Thousands have been killed, infrastructure and homes struck, and about 1.2 million displaced, with widespread village destruction reported. Global attention has focused more on Iran’s broader war than on Lebanon’s devastation.
"Lebanon was an afterthought when Israel and the US were bombing Iran, and remained one when they stopped. It still appears to be one even as Washington and Tehran speak of peace. The US has suggested that a deal is within reach, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that a return to war was unlikely, though profound differences remain evident. Tehran says that Lebanon must be part of any agreement. Yet this week, Lebanon's supposed ceasefire looks more threadbare than ever, with Israel intensifying its offensive as Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush Hezbollah."
"Israeli strikes killed 31 people on Tuesday alone, and on Wednesday the military ordered the evacuation of the entire city of Tyre. Its troops have pushed out of the buffer zone that it established in the south, which far-right ministers want to annex. Israel may be intensifying attacks before the US reins it in, or in the hope of destabilising the talks. War allows Mr Netanyahu to dodge accountability at home. Domestic demands for continued attacks on Hezbollah are also growing, given the mounting threat from its drones to soldiers in Lebanon and residents of Israel's north."
"Israel has killed thousands in this war, including civilians and scores of medics, as well as striking bridges, essential water infrastructure and homes. An estimated 1.2 million have fled. Bellingcat reported recently that at least 46 of the 54 villages within the Israeli yellow line have been either demolished or heavily damaged using the same tactics seen in Gaza. Many displaced people have no homes to return to. These developments appear largely unremarked by the world."
"The global repercussions of Iran's war have commanded diplomatic and economic attention. Perhaps the annihilation in Gaza where killings continue despite another purported ceasefire and brutal conflicts worldwide have made flouting the laws of war seem almost commonplace. But there is nothing normal about this destruction. Under US pressure, Lebanon is now"
Read at www.theguardian.com
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