On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes intensified on Lebanon’s Baalbek region, killing at least 38 people, and further strikes were reported targeting southern Beirut as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah worsened. Amid the violence, diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire have been stalled, and the humanitarian crisis has deepened.

Fatal Strikes in Baalbek and Beirut

More than 40 Israeli airstrikes pounded the Baalbek-Hermel governorate, killing 38 and wounding 54, according to regional governor Bachir Khodr. The Israeli military had no comment on the strikes, but the attacks coincided with growing clashes along Lebanon’s borders, which have already pushed deep into villages on the border. Southern Beirut, a stronghold for Hezbollah, suffered several airstrikes after Israel ordered evacuations in several neighborhoods later that day. The attacks have left Lebanon in disarray, with casualties among civilians sure to escalate.

It is a call for negotiation and a ceasefire.

Hezbollah’s secretary general, Naim Qassem, was skeptical of a diplomatic solution, saying indirect talks could only start if Israel stops its attacks. “When the enemy decides to stop the aggression, there is a path for negotiations. Through the Lebanese state and Speaker Nabih Berri,” Qassem said. But recent US moves, including a 60-day ceasefire plan, have been fruitless, notably as Israel upped its attacks in reaction to the Gaza war.

Rescue Operations and Increasing Casualties

The Lebanese rescue teams are still scouring for survivors in the towns that were intensively bombed, with the heaviest casualties recorded at Barja. Rescuers searched through piles of rubble on the spot after a devastating strike that killed 20 residents. A resident, Moussa Zahran, said his family narrowly escaped death when falling debris injured his son and wife. The health ministry of Barja reported a vast escalation of casualties over the past month as airstrikes intensified.

Hezbollah Responds as Border Tensions Escalate

Hezbollah fired missiles at an Israeli military site near Ben Gurion Airport in retaliation against Israeli bombings. Media reports described an impact close to the airport, and the Israeli military said several projectiles were intercepted as they were fired from Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Israel Katz as defense minister, who vowed to secure Israel’s northern borders and allow the displaced Israelis to go back home. The tensions are heightened as both sides remain trapped in a cycle of retaliation.

International Concerns and US Leadership Transition

 The Lebanese leaders cautiously acknowledged Donald Trump’s re-election, with Netanyahu voicing optimism over U.S.-Israel ties under Trump’s leadership. According to senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri, it’s time to act fast to reduce regional tensions because Trump recently declared that he could end the Gaza war quickly.

Escalation in Lebanon and the lack of any diplomatic breakthrough leave the region on a knife edge, with humanitarian concerns growing as airstrikes persist and violence spreads along the Israel-Lebanon border.