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Beirut Reels as Israeli Airstrikes Intensify Amid Expanding Regional Conflict

                                     Smoke rises after an Israeli strike in central Beirut's Bachoura neighbourhood Israeli warplanes struck central Beirut in the early hours of March 18, delivering some of the most intense bombardments the city center has seen in decades. The attacks destroyed residential buildings in densely populated neighborhoods such as Bashoura, Zuqaq al-Blat, and Basta, killing at least six to twelve people according to varying Lebanese authority reports.  The strikes come as the broader conflict widens following Hezbollah’s involvement earlier in the month and escalating tit-for-tat actions between Israel and Iran. Residents described fleeing in the middle of the night—some after receiving evacuation warnings, others with no warning at all—as explosions lit up the capital’s skyline.  Lebanese officials say the attacks targeted both residenti...
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ICJ Orders Israel to Facilitate Gaza Aid, But Israel Rejects Ruling

The ICJ opinion found Palestinians in Gaza were inadequately supplied and stressed Israel cannot use starvation as a weapon of war.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued an advisory opinion declaring that Israel is legally obliged to support United Nations relief operations in Gaza, including those carried out by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The court emphasized that Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure the “basic needs” of Gaza’s population are met, including access to food, water, medicine, and shelter.

ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa stated that Israel had failed to substantiate its claims that UNRWA was infiltrated by Hamas or other militant groups. The court dismissed allegations that the agency had violated neutrality, stressing that no evidence supported such accusations.

Israel, however, has openly rejected the ruling. Senior officials said UNRWA would “never set foot in Gaza again,” arguing that UN agencies had failed in the past or fallen under Hamas influence. The government vowed to continue blocking the agency’s return, despite mounting international pressure.

The ruling, while advisory and not legally binding, carries significant political weight. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the decision, urging Israel to comply and allow humanitarian agencies to operate freely in Gaza.

The standoff highlights the deepening rift between Israel and international institutions, as aid groups warn that continued restrictions could worsen the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.


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