Israel Strikes Gaza and Lebanon; UN Warns of Potential Escalation into Catastrophic Regional Conflict | WPN World People News

On the holy Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, October 12th, Israel launched another offensive, striking Lebanon and the largest refugee camp in northern Gaza, resulting in dozens of deaths. On October 13th, United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon warned that the situation could escalate into a "catastrophic" regional conflict.

After five UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) Blue Helmets were injured in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told AFP that there is no military solution to the situation. He expressed concern that Israel's attacks on Hezbollah could escalate, potentially "turning into a regional conflict with catastrophic consequences for everyone." The peacekeeping outposts suffered "severe damage," and Israel is facing intense diplomatic backlash.

Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported on the 13th that Israeli airstrikes on three locations in the country had killed at least 15 people. Earlier, Israel warned residents in southern Lebanon not to return home. Since the Israeli military began fighting Hezbollah militants on September 23rd, over 1,200 people have died. Lebanese authorities stated that over 1 million people have been forced to flee their homes.

At the same time, the Israeli military also attacked the "Jabalia" refugee camp in northern Gaza, ordering Palestinians in the area to evacuate. However, Doctors Without Borders accused the military of shooting those attempting to leave. Israel claimed that over the weekend, they had struck around 280 terrorist targets in Lebanon and Gaza. Israel may further expand the conflict, as Prime Minister Netanyahu convened a cabinet meeting on the 13th to discuss retaliatory actions against Iran.

Iran is also preparing for conflict. On October 11th, President Raisi met with Russian President Putin to seek support, while on October 12th, Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited Lebanon, declaring full backing for the country. Ghalibaf stated, "The Islamic Republic of Iran will stand with the Lebanese state, government, and the resistance organization (Hezbollah) in all areas."