Israeli Attacks on Hezbollah and Hamas Amid US Efforts for Ceasefire

As US efforts to establish a ceasefire in the region have intensified, Israeli airstrikes on Hamas and Hezbollah positions in Gaza and Lebanon continued on Friday. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his priority is ensuring security 'despite any pressure or constraints,' Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati accused Israel of 'stubbornness' in negotiations. Israel has continued its military operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon despite Washington's attempts to broker a ceasefire on both fronts ahead of the upcoming US presidential elections. Health officials in Gaza, which operates under Hamas, reported that around 60 people were killed in recent hours due to Israeli attacks on the city of Deir al-Balah, the Nuseirat camp, and the al-Zuweida settlement in the central coastal areas, as well as in southern Gaza. They told Reuters that at least 10 people were killed in an Israeli strike on the entrance of a school that had sheltered refugees in Nuseirat. According to them, another 10 were killed in a vehicle in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Typically, the Gaza Health Ministry or organizations under Hamas do not mention the number of militants killed when announcing casualty figures. Israel claims it does everything possible to prevent civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of using human shields, an allegation the group denies. The Israeli army stated that it targeted armed terrorists in central Gaza and the Jabalia area in northern Gaza during its attacks. Meanwhile, Reuters journalists reported that Israel struck areas in southern Beirut's suburbs with at least 10 airstrikes on Friday. This was the first attack on this area in the past week, which was once a densely populated area and a Hezbollah stronghold. These attacks followed Israel's order to evacuate 10 separate neighborhoods. The ongoing conflicts have diminished hopes for a ceasefire before the upcoming US presidential elections next Tuesday. On Thursday, Netanyahu told newly graduated Israeli soldiers that the priority is Israel's capability and determination to ensure security, neutralize attacks against the country, and act against enemies if necessary, despite any pressure or constraints. The Israeli Prime Minister's office also sent a similar message to US representatives in Israel on Thursday. Since the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, by Palestinian militants against Israel, which resulted in at least 1,200 deaths, including women, children, and the elderly, and over 250 others, mostly civilians, taken hostage, Israel has been engaged in battles on several fronts against the Islamic Republic and its proxy forces. There are still 101 hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian militants in Gaza, with estimates suggesting that at least one-third of them have lost their lives. The Hamas group is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the UK, Israel, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. In the north, Israel has also been engaged with the Islamic Republic's main proxy, Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah unilaterally began its rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel the day after the October 7 terrorist attack. In response, Israel has conducted severe attacks against this group's positions in Lebanon and Syria, killing hundreds of members of this Iran-backed group, including leaders and senior military commanders such as Hassan Nasrallah, Fouad Shukr, Ibrahim Aqil, and Hashem Safi al-Din. Concurrently with heavy airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, southern Beirut suburbs, and the Bekaa Valley, Israel has deployed ground forces to parts of southern Lebanon. Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Germany, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Australia, have recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization means that there is no distinction made between its political and military branches, labeling both as terrorist entities.