Israel ramps up Lebanon strikes

Israel kept up strikes on Lebanon on May 23 as diplomats discussed broader regional de-escalation tied to Iran, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and a possible extension of the Israel-Lebanon truce. Reports from Lebanon said Israeli attacks hit the south and east of the country, including the city of Tyre, where a hospital was damaged. The fighting came days after Washington announced a 45-day ceasefire extension and new talks between Israeli and Lebanese delegations. The latest strikes underscored how the battlefield is moving faster than the diplomacy. ### Why were Israeli strikes still hitting Lebanon during a ceasefire? An April 17 ceasefire has not stopped regular Israeli attacks in Lebanon or Hezbollah fire into Israel, according to AFP reporting from Lebanon and statements collected by regional outlets. Israel has said its operations target Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives and are not barred by the truce when it says threats are imminent. May 15 brought a U.S. announcement that Israel and Lebanon would extend the ceasefire by 45 days, with State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott saying the move was meant to allow further progress. Pigott also said the Pentagon would host military delegations on May 29 and the State Department would convene political talks on June 2 and 3. (english.alarabiya.net) ### What happened in Tyre and elsewhere on May 23? Tyre was hit overnight on May 22 into May 23 after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for two locations in the southern coastal city, according to AFP. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the strike near Hiram hospital caused severe damage, and an AFP correspondent reported shattered glass, blown-out ceiling panels and damaged medical equipment inside the facility. (al-monitor.com) Dr. Salman Aydibi, the hospital’s chief executive, told AFP that about 40 patients were inside when the warning was issued, including seven in intensive care. He said staff moved patients to a safer location within the hospital, no patients were harmed and about 30 staff members sustained minor injuries. Around a dozen locations in south Lebanon were struck on May 23, Lebanon’s National News Agency said, including one agricultural area where several Syrian workers were reported wounded. (english.alarabiya.net) Israeli forces also struck east Lebanon, where the military said it targeted a Hezbollah underground compound used to manufacture weapons. ### What did Israel say it was targeting? (english.alarabiya.net) The Israeli military said on May 23 that it had targeted “Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Tyre” where operatives from the Iran-backed group worked to plan and execute attacks against Israeli soldiers. It said it had taken steps to reduce civilian harm, including advance warnings, precise munitions and aerial surveillance. (english.alarabiya.net) The same Israeli account has been used in earlier rounds of strikes since the truce began. Al-Monitor, citing AFP and official statements, reported on May 15 that Israel insisted new strikes were not subject to the ceasefire even as U.S.-backed negotiations continued. ### How does this connect to the wider Iran talks? May 23 also brought reports that a broader U.S.-Iran understanding under discussion could include a 60-day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, renewed Iranian oil sales and talks on Iran’s nuclear program. (english.alarabiya.net) Reuters, in a report carried by MSN, said President Donald Trump described the memorandum of understanding as “largely negotiated,” though the status of Hormuz remained disputed. (al-monitor.com) The National’s dispatch linked the stepped-up Israeli strikes in Lebanon to that wider negotiating track, which meant local attacks were unfolding as mediators tried to assemble a larger regional package. The paper described the Lebanon truce as a “so-called ceasefire,” reflecting how often it has been breached. ### Who is supposed to keep the ceasefire on track now? Washington is the main outside broker in the Israel-Lebanon channel. (msn.com) Tommy Pigott said the next formal step is a Pentagon meeting with military delegations on May 29, followed by State Department-hosted political negotiations on June 2 and 3. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on May 15 that the extension and talks could provide “critical breathing room for our citizens,” according to Lebanon’s delegation statement cited by Al-Monitor. (thenationalnews.com) Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, who led Israel’s delegation, said after the talks that “there will be ups and downs” but that the process had potential for success. Those meetings remain the next named checkpoints as strikes continue on the ground. (al-monitor.com)