Israel orders attacks on Lebanon’s capital

Israeli leaders ordered attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, targeting the Lebanese-based terrorist group, Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz accused the group of repeatedly violating the ongoing ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. While U.S. President Donald Trump helped broker the ceasefire, resolving this conflict has complicated the diplomatic end to the U.S.-Iran war. Any ceasefire between the United States and Iran should also include a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s minister of foreign affairs, said in a post Monday.

What other recent attacks has Israel conducted? The order came after Israeli troops captured the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon over the weekend. Israel’s military said it took the castle, which Crusaders built during the Medieval era, because of Hezbollah’s presence in the nearby area. Israel previously captured the structure in 1982 and held it until withdrawing from Lebanon in 2000. The castle holds a strategic mountaintop position overlooking the Litani River. Katz said Israel has once again raised its flag over this structure.

How have world leaders responded to Israel’s actions? French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the United Nations Security Council should have an emergency meeting to discuss Israeli military operations in Lebanon. He called Israel’s actions and occupation of Lebanese territory unacceptable.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed fresh negotiations between Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to de-escalate the conflict, a U.S. official told media outlets. One preliminary proposal calls for Hezbollah to stop all attacks on Israel, and for Israel to pull back military operations in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Black’s report on an Israeli soldier who was jailed for breaking a Jesus statue in Lebanon.