UN: Israeli Attack on Lebanon Triggers Humanitarian Disaster

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that Lebanese civilians are paying a very high price as Israel expands bombing campaigns and ground offensives. The large-scale mass evacuations on the outskirts of Beirut and in the Beqaa Valley ‘make it very difficult for residents to comply and, therefore, call into question their effectiveness, which is a requirement under international humanitarian law, and risk ending in forced displacement that is prohibited,’ said spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani in a statement on Friday (6 March).

When combined with attacks on residential buildings, Israel compounds the misery and suffering of an already exhausted civilian population. ‘We urge the parties involved to step back from the brink of a major escalation in this conflict in Lebanon,’ Shamdasani added. (Aljazeera/P-3)

The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that since Monday, Israeli attacks across the country had killed a total of 217 people, the majority of whom were civilians. Spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baghaei, accused the United States and Israel of carrying out strikes targeting an elementary school in Niloufar Square, Tehran. The Lebanese people can rely on our full support and humanitarian assistance for thousands of refugees.

Investor risk-off sentiment was driven by the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, as well as high US Treasury yields due to expectations that Federal Reserve interest rates will remain elevated. Iran claimed that Israel was behind a drone attack on Azerbaijan. Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that Israel has a history of such operations to sow discord. No immediate details were provided on possible damage or casualties. The Lebanese people can rely on our full support and humanitarian assistance for thousands of refugees.

Hizbullah said the attack was carried out in response to ‘criminal’ Israeli aggression targeting dozens of towns and settlements in Lebanon, including the southern suburbs of Beirut. Syria has deployed thousands of troops and rockets to the Lebanon border to prevent weapons smuggling and militia infiltration amid the escalation of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Rosatom said it had evacuated nearly 100 people from Iran.