Israel steps up deadly Lebanon attacks and ExxonMobil sued over plastics recycling: Morning Rundown
NBCSep 25
Israeli Strikes on Lebanon Continue for Second Day
Above: Vehicles wait in traffic in the town of Damour, south of the capital Beirut on September 24, 2024, as people flee southern Lebanon. Image copyright: Ibrahim Amro/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
After launching a massive wave of strikes across Lebanon on Monday, Israel continued its bombing campaign on Tuesday. Israeli strikes so far have reportedly killed around 560 people, injured over 1.8K, and displaced tens of thousands from southern and eastern Lebanon.
An Israeli strike on Tuesday targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, with anonymous Lebanese authorities reporting that the head of Hezbollah’s missile unit, Ibrahim Qubaisi, was killed. The Lebanese health ministry said that the strike killed at least six and injured 15.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Though the situation in the region continues to escalate, the US has stood firm in its role as a mediator. Israel has every right to respond to Hezbollah's daily terror attacks along its northern border. However, it is in no one's interest for tensions to explode into a wider regional war. The US will continue to work toward regional stability.
Pro-Israel narrative
Israel has been incredibly patient regarding the situation in the north, but after a year of daily terror attacks on Israeli civilians, Israel has been forced to deal with Hezbollah more aggressively. Israel gave civilians plenty of time to evacuate and acted in a precise manner, hitting rockets and missiles that were being stored in civilian homes. Israel wants peace more than anyone, but it cannot allow Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terror groups to threaten its society in such an existential way.
Pro-Palestine narrative
It is clear that Israel is using the same strategy in Lebanon that it has used in Gaza — the forced displacement of the civilian population. Indeed, Israel seeks to spread terror among the Lebanese people to punish them for standing with Gaza. Israel has provided no evidence that civilian homes are being used to store munitions, and even if that were true, it wouldn't justify displacing whole regions of Lebanon.
Narrative D
The attacks against Lebanon are a clear example of Israeli terrorism in the region and its disregard for human life. Hezbollah opened a support front with Israel to stand in solidarity with Gaza, which has faced a genocidal Israeli campaign. Its attacks will end when Israel withdraws from Gaza. Nonetheless, Hezbollah is ready and able to defend Lebanon from Israeli aggression.