Israel bombs building in Beirut's southern suburbs | DW News

Key Concepts:

• Air strikes on Beirut
• Hezbollah denial of rocket fire
• Degraded Hezbollah control
• Lebanese government paralysis
• UN Security Council Resolution 1701
• Lebanese Army's limited control
• Strategic sites along the border

Renewal of Hostilities in Beirut

• Israel has conducted air strikes on Beirut for the first time since a truce with Hezbollah in November.
• The Israeli military issued warnings for people to evacuate parts of a Beirut suburb, citing a response to rocket strikes from Lebanon into northern Israel.
• Hezbollah has denied firing the rockets. Israel also struck parts of southern Lebanon.

Personal Account and Atmosphere

• Ronni Chhatarat, a political commentator in Beirut, describes the situation as "all too familiar."
• He provides a personal example of a colleague evacuating his family from the southern suburbs of Beirut while others film the destruction caused by Israeli strikes.
• The atmosphere is described as reminiscent of September or October 2024, a "bad sign" indicating a failure of the ceasefire.
• The sound of drones and explosions are prevalent.

Possible Perpetrators and Hezbollah's Role

• If Hezbollah is not responsible for the rocket fire, it could be a substate outfit with direct or indirect links to the group.
• Hezbollah is described as a "degraded, handicapped, and disfigured proxy militia" that may not be able to control all activity.
• The rockets were launched from north of the Litani River, and the Lebanese army showed photos of "primitive rocket launchers."

Lebanese Government's Responsibility and Limitations

• The "overwhelming burden" falls on the Lebanese state and the Lebanese army to prevent such incidents.
• The Lebanese government is described as "paralyzed," and Lebanese sovereignty is "handicapped."
• The Lebanese army is unable to "dominate or exercise full control over all of Lebanon's geography."

Israel's Stance and Ceasefire Agreement

• Israel states it will continue attacks unless the Lebanese government enforces the ceasefire agreement.
• The ceasefire is essentially a better-enforced UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which established a buffer zone south of the Litani River.
• Resolution 1701 mandates the dismantling of Hezbollah's infrastructure in that part of Lebanon.
• Israel still occupies what it deems "strategic sites" along the border north into Lebanon.
• The ceasefire does not address Hezbollah or any substate group north of the Litani River, which is meant to be Lebanon's responsibility, as expressed in UN Security Council Resolution 1559.

Lebanese President's Position

• Lebanon recently instated a president, a former army commander, after a 2.5-year vacancy.
• The president intends to "neutralize Lebanon from regional war" and asserts that "all weapons belong to the state, not to the substate."
• How this will be achieved in the near term is unclear.

Conclusion

The situation in Beirut is volatile, with renewed hostilities despite a recent ceasefire. The Lebanese government's weakness and the presence of non-state actors complicate the situation. The enforcement of UN resolutions and the control of Lebanese territory remain significant challenges.