Strikes Hit Beirut and Israel as U.S. Seeks Cease-Fire Deal
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed security and a possible cease-fire with Israeli and Palestinian leaders
Beirut, Lebanon - Air strikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut and northern Israel this morning, as the United States seeks to broker a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The Israeli military said it targeted 19 sites in southern Lebanon, including rocket launchers and weapons storage facilities, in response to rocket fire from Lebanon into northern Israel.
The Lebanese army said the Israeli strikes hit the towns of Qana, Aitaroun, and Houla, causing damage to buildings and infrastructure but no casualties.
The Israeli military said the rocket fire from Lebanon was carried out by Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group that is backed by Iran and has a strong presence in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, but it has a history of firing rockets into Israel from southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it holds the Lebanese government responsible for the rocket fire from its territory and warned that it will continue to target Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon if the rocket fire continues.
The Lebanese government has condemned the Israeli strikes and called on the United Nations to intervene to stop the violence.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in the region to try to negotiate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas
Kerry met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday and is scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today.
Kerry said he is hopeful that a cease-fire can be reached, but he acknowledged that it will be difficult.
"We are all working very hard to try to find a way to de-escalate the situation," Kerry said.
"But this is a very complex situation, and there are a lot of different interests involved."
The United States has been trying to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas for several days, but so far the efforts have been unsuccessful.
The Israeli government has said that it will not agree to a cease-fire unless Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel.
Hamas has said that it will not stop firing rockets into Israel until Israel ends its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The violence between Israel and Hamas has escalated in recent days, with both sides firing rockets and airstrikes
The violence began on July 7 when Hamas militants kidnapped and killed three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank.
Israel responded with a military operation in the West Bank, which led to the deaths of six Palestinians.
Hamas then began firing rockets into Israel, and Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza.
The violence has killed more than 200 Palestinians and 10 Israelis.
The United Nations has called for an immediate cease-fire, but so far the calls have been ignored.
The international community is urging both sides to de-escalate the violence and reach a cease-fire agreement
The United Nations, the United States, and the European Union have all called for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
The international community is concerned that the violence could spiral out of control and lead to a wider conflict in the region.
The international community is also concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than 1.8 million people are trapped in a small, densely populated area with limited access to food, water, and electricity.
Conclusion
The strikes in Beirut and Israel are a reminder of the ongoing violence in the Middle East.
The United States is trying to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, but so far the efforts have been unsuccessful.
The international community is urging both sides to de-escalate the violence and reach a cease-fire agreement.
