Israel announced the start of its ground operation in Lebanon, which has been accompanied by more bombings in the capital, Beirut, and the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh.
Israel urged Lebanese citizens not to travel to the south of the Litani River, in southern Lebanon, where "intense fighting" with the Shiite group Hezbollah is taking place.
The ground operation comes after devastating airstrikes against the command structure, including its leader Hasan Nasrallah, and Hezbollah's weapon sites.
The United States Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, stated that he spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, to offer support for the military actions in Lebanon and warned Iran of "serious consequences" if it attacks Israel.
The operation in Lebanon represents an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Iran-backed militia, which now threatens to involve the US and Iran.
Lebanon and the UN launch an appeal for $426 million in humanitarian aid
The provisional Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, launched an appeal to assist civilians affected by the conflict with $426 million, according to Reuters.
Unicef expands its operations to reach families in Lebanon amid Israeli offensive
The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) announced that they have expanded their operations to reach more families and children in need of assistance amid the conflict escalation in Lebanon, calling to raise $105 million, as reported by Efe.
"The dangerous escalation of the conflict in Lebanon has led to a rapid deterioration in the situation of children, whose needs exceed the speed at which humanitarian organizations can respond with life-saving interventions," the agency stated.
Since early October 2023, over 100 children have lost their lives, with more than 300,000 children displaced from their homes due to the Israeli escalation against Lebanon.
Israeli army tanks on the border
Israeli army tanks in northern Israel.
Swiss Air extends suspension of flights to Beirut and Tel Aviv
Swiss Air announced the extension of the suspension of flights to Beirut and Tel Aviv due to the ongoing Israeli military operation in Lebanon.