The strike on the bridge has worsened the humanitarian situation in Lebanon
The Israeli strike severely damaged the Qasimiyeh Bridge, which connected southern and northern Lebanon. This has hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid and effectively cut off part of the population. According to the UN, tens of thousands of civilians remain in the region, Al Jazeera reports.
The city of Qasimiyeh in Lebanon has effectively been split in half following the latest strike. The bridge spanned the Litani River and was one of the key routes between the south and north of the country. Now this connection has been severed. And this immediately impacted the humanitarian situation, which was already dire.
According to United Nations estimates, over a million people in Lebanon have become internally displaced. At the same time, approximately 100,000 to 150,000 civilians remain south of the river. Due to the destroyed bridge, they are effectively cut off from the rest of the country.
UNIFIL peacekeepers are operating on the ground. However, the mission itself has also come under attack on multiple occasions in recent weeks—with reports of military casualties and instances of pressure. The Qasimiyeh Bridge was important not only for civilians. It was used by humanitarian organizations, the Lebanese Army, and international missions to deliver aid.
Now this has become significantly more difficult. “Delivering humanitarian aid to these areas will now be extremely difficult,” representatives of international organizations note.
Israel, for its part, justifies these strikes by the need to stop the movement of Hezbollah militants and weapons through the country’s territory.
At the same time, it is civilians who are bearing the brunt of the consequences. “The civilian population is paying a high price for the destruction of such infrastructure,” humanitarian organizations emphasize.
The situation in the region remains tense, and access to aid for thousands of people is at risk.
Additionally, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hagset stated that American troops in the Middle East are prepared to resume combat operations if Iran does not agree to a peace deal.
The U.S. has stated that it will use force against ships attempting to circumvent the blockade of Iran.
Israel announced that it had killed two armed individuals in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
At least two Iranian tankers managed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, likely using a detour route despite U.S. control.
