More displacement, fuel crisis in Lebanon’s Bekaa as Israeli attacks continue
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) is reporting that Israeli forces bombed two towns near the city of Baalbek in the eastern Bekaa Valley, causing large fires to break out.
The agency said the first attack at 2am local time on Friday (23:00 GMT) “broke a cautious calm that lasted throughout” Thursday and hit a two-storey building in the town of Duris. The attack caused damage to the building and set fire to a vehicle in its garage.
The second assault destroyed a building that contained a pharmacy, an antiques shop, a carpet shop and two empty apartments, causing a large fire that took four hours to extinguish.
There was no immediate report of casualties.
NNA said supermarkets in the area closed due to the attacks, resulting in a fuel crisis and a shortage of essential supplies.
Baalbek city is also witnessing internal displacement, although many people are staying in their homes despite the danger, it added. The attacks in the Bekaa Valley followed a “series of violent raids” in southern Lebanon, including the city of Nabatieh, as well as air attacks on the town of Joya near the city of Tyre.
A view shows part of the Roman ruins of Baalbek, Lebanon, on January 5
Iraqi armed group claims third attack on Israel
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed a third attack on Israel, saying it launched drones at a target in the occupied Golan Heights.
Earlier, the umbrella group of Iran-backed militias said it fired a missile “at a vital target” in the occupied territories and deployed drones at another target in the Golan Heights.
The group added that it “confirms the continuation of operations in pounding the strongholds of the enemies at an escalating pace”.
There was no immediate comment from Israel. Late on Thursday night, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
Houthi official promises more attacks on Israel after foiled missile assault on Tel Aviv
Ali al-Qahoum, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, made the pledge in a post on social media after Israel’s military announced intercepting a missile fired from Yemen that targeted the Israeli city.
“The major, strategic, effective and influential Yemeni operations are continuing in their fifth phase,” al-Qahoum wrote on X. “The Yemeni support front will not stop unless the aggression and siege on Gaza stop,” he wrote.
A spokesman for the Houthis’ armed forces said the group will issue a statement shortly.
Houthis have previously launched drones and missiles towards Eilat, a southern Israeli port city. The group has also carried out attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea since November in what it says is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians and against Israel’s continuing war on Gaza.
Israel keeping up air pressure in southern Lebanon
In the last 30 minutes, we’ve heard fighter jets coming over us and Israeli air strikes in the far distance. We’ve also heard what sounded like outgoing rocket fire from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory.
[There have been] 1,600 strikes along this entire contested border in the last 24 hours. That’s what Israel’s army is saying the current tally is and they’re keeping up the pressure. Hezbollah says that at least 300 rockets have been launched at military targets on the other side of the border.
The Israeli strategy seems to be clear: no ceasefire and keep up the pressure on Hezbollah.
