Eight members of Lebanon's security forces have died in an Israeli attack in the city of Nabatiyeh, in the south of the country, according to Lebanese state media cited by Reuters and AFP. The incident occurs in a context of growing military escalation in the region and of serious humanitarian deterioration.
A healthcare system on the verge of collapse
In parallel, the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Eastern Mediterranean has warned that hospitals in Lebanon are operating at 95% of their capacity, after months of intense bombings that have left hundreds dead and thousands injured.
“Healthcare faces a double pressure: managing the growing number of traumas and maintaining essential services,” the United Nations agency has pointed out in its latest report.
According to the agency, six hospitals have completely closed, another 12 present partial damages and 51 primary care centers have suspended their activity.
The WHO has also confirmed that it has received security guarantees for two hospitals in Beirut included in evacuation orders, although the patients remain admitted as their transfer is not viable.
Since the start of the Israeli offensive on March 2, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has registered around 2,000 dead and more than 6,000 injured, in addition to more than one million displaced. The WHO has also verified 107 attacks against health facilities, with casualties among medical personnel.
JD Vance threatens Iran if it deceives the US
In this context, the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, has launched a message to Iran in the midst of a diplomatic tour towards Pakistan, where he plans to maintain indirect contacts.
“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we are willing to extend a hand to them,” he affirmed before the press. However, he warned that “if they try to deceive us, the negotiating team will not be receptive.”
The increase in violence in Lebanon coincides with an accelerated deterioration of the humanitarian situation and a growing involvement of international actors in the regional crisis, while calls for containment multiply.