Israel continues to pound southern Lebanon as tanks advance on Bint Jbeil

[0:00] Well, one of Iran's main demands is a ceasefire in Lebanon. [0:03] Israeli attacks have killed at least 2,020 people since the fighting began in March. [0:08] Israel and the United States say the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington [0:12] doesn't include the campaign in Lebanon, while Iran insists it does. [0:18] Clashes have broken out between Israeli forces and Hezbollah [0:22] in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jebel. [0:24] Lebanese security sources say Israeli tanks are advancing towards the area [0:28] and Israeli troops have taken control of all entrances to the town. [0:33] Israeli strikes have also continued across the south. [0:36] At least seven people have been killed in the city of Tyre [0:38] or nearby Kana was hit in the early hours. [0:42] The violence comes as Hezbollah reiterates its rejection of direct negotiations with Israel [0:47] in order to end the war. [0:50] Onor Odeh is near Amala for us. [0:52] We'll speak first to Abayda Hito in Tyre in southern Lebanon. [0:57] So firstly, Abayda, set the scene for us. [0:59] Tell us more about these latest strikes. [1:01] What are the apparent targets and the impact on lives there? [1:05] Well, the Israeli Air Force has continued to carry out airstrikes throughout southern Lebanon. [1:15] There was a focus yesterday on the region of Nabatiyah. [1:18] Again, today, Israeli Air Force conducted strikes in Nabatiyah. [1:23] Also around here in Tyre, the targets have all been civilian in nature. [1:29] As far as we can tell, in one of the strikes, at least three women were killed. [1:34] There were further strikes in Khayyam, also on the eastern front. [1:38] But the headline today is this renewed fight in Bentejbeil. [1:42] This is a very important city near the Israeli border, near the Blue Line, about four kilometers [1:48] from the Blue Line. [1:49] It has both symbolic and strategic importance for both sides. [1:54] Actually, in the year 2000, the late leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, gave what is [1:59] known as the victory speech in the stadium inside the city of Bentejbeil, describing Israel, [2:05] despite its possession of weapons, advanced weapons and nuclear weapons, like a spider's [2:11] web, something as fragile as a spider's web. [2:13] And that has stuck both in the mindset of the so-called resistance here in Lebanon, as [2:20] well as in the domestic audience in Israel, a sticking point for both sides. [2:27] Since then, in 2006, Israel tried to actually take the city with a very elaborate operation. [2:34] It was stopped, though, by Hezbollah fighters in 2006 with some ambushes, a tunnel system, and [2:41] some military tactics that caused a lot of losses to the Israeli troops that were trying [2:47] to advance. [2:48] This is the first time since 2006 that Bentejbeil has been under siege by Israeli troops. [2:55] This is a significant development in the field. [2:58] Tactically, Bentejbeil is a city that's on a high plateau. [3:02] So whoever controls Bentejbeil has a significant advantage in terms of the vantage point it has [3:08] over the surrounding areas. [3:10] The fight is ongoing, and according to multiple sources, there are hundreds of Hezbollah fighters [3:16] still inside the city, putting up a stiff resistance as Israel pounds them both from the air and [3:22] using artillery to try and take the entire city of Bentejbeil. [3:27] Well, Bentejbeil, many thanks. [3:28] About to hit an entire in southern Lebanon. [3:30] Let's go to Nora. [3:30] She's near Ramallah and is following the Israeli government's reaction. [3:34] Nora, we have two diplomatic pushes. [3:39] We have talks between Lebanon, the Lebanese leadership, and the Israelis. [3:45] We know the Iranians, when it comes to hopes of a permanent ceasefire there, had always [3:49] coupled the conflict in Lebanon with a conflict ending in their own country. [3:54] Can you give us a sense of how these efforts are being perceived in Israel? [4:00] What lines, what comments are coming from the Israeli leadership on these efforts? [4:07] Well, Israel has its eyes on those talks or had its eyes on the talks in Pakistan, Niv, [4:14] because the one thing that the Israeli prime minister and government didn't want to happen [4:19] is for the United States to give concessions on Lebanon to keep those two files together, [4:26] Iran and Lebanon. [4:28] And they were satisfied for the most part that the U.S. response was those are two separate [4:33] files and we're pressuring Israel to dial down its attacks, especially on Beirut. [4:40] In the meantime, what the Israeli army is doing on the ground is to increase the ferocity of [4:45] the battles in the South to gain as much territory as possible from now until Tuesday, because [4:53] the hope is that come Tuesday, when and if the Lebanese and Israeli sides sit together in [5:00] Washington, Israel would have the advantage of, of course, illegally, but still having, you [5:06] know, occupied Lebanese territory to barter with in exchange for disarming Hezbollah and dismantling [5:14] its stronghold or its, its control and its influence on the country. Now, there, there are [5:22] very low expectations of those talks, Niv, on Tuesday, and that's why the military effort continues. [5:28] It also continues because of public pressure. 1.5 million Israelis continue to live as if the war [5:35] did not stop. They still have emergency procedures and precautions in place, online schooling and no [5:43] public gatherings over 50 or 100 people. And so there is a lot of pressure on finding a resolution, [5:50] whatever it is. The Israeli government has boxed itself into a zero-sum game. Either we take in all [5:57] the land, we push in with the invasion, or the Lebanese government takes up arms against Hezbollah. [6:04] No, many thanks. No order then. Never malah. [6:07] No order then. Never malah.