**Israel Hits Beirut Suburbs as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Lebanon**

In an escalation of hostilities, Israel has launched a series of strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. Health officials detailed at least 17 airstrikes overnight, leading to the demolition of several buildings, including those housing the offices of the Lebanese news station, Al Mayadeen. Lebanon's National News Agency described these assaults as the most severe in recent weeks. Among the casualties were three Lebanese soldiers killed in the southern part of the country. Despite growing international calls for a ceasefire, Israel continues its offensive operations.

Concurrently, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an aid conference for Lebanon in Paris, calling once again for a ceasefire and committing to send over $100 million in humanitarian assistance. Joining Macron's efforts to shore up support for Lebanon were pledges from other nations, including the UAE.

In a conversation with assistant professor of sociology at the American University of Beirut, Rima Majed, she relayed the heartbreaking destruction in Tyre, one of the oldest cities in the world. Reports indicate that the ancient ruins of Tyre have been severely damaged by the strikes, with similar attacks previously noted in Baalbek. These historical sites, which have stood for thousands of years, are now facing the threat of being obliterated. Majed stressed the lack of global attention and alarm compared to similar events in Syria and Iraq, criticizing the media's oversight.

Majed also commented on the recent statements by French defense minister Sébastien Lecornu, who voiced concerns about the potential for an imminent civil war in Lebanon. She labeled such humanitarian aid efforts as hypocritical, pointing out that the same countries sending aid also benefit from arms sales to Israel. This contradiction, she noted, underscores the larger problem of a dehumanizing system that prioritizes profit over the lives and futures of ordinary people.

In addition, the recent Israeli airstrike near the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon's largest public medical center, resulted in the death of at least 13 people and injured around 60 more. The attack further caused extensive damage to the hospital. Al-Sahel Hospital in southern Beirut also faced forced evacuations after Israel's unfounded allegations that it housed a secret Hezbollah bunker. Journalists on a tour of the hospital found no such evidence.

Majed condemned the logic behind these attacks, pointing out the absurdity of targeting financial assets as terrorist threats. She questioned the international community’s response and the selective justification of state actions, arguing that such justifications would not apply if the roles were reversed.

On another front, Israel has been targeting financial associations linked to Hezbollah, such as the Al-Qard al-Hassan Association, a microfinance institution. Majed underscored the broader aim of these strikes as an effort to dismantle Hezbollah's social infrastructure, affecting not just the organization but also civilians supportive of its political stance.

As the conflict intensifies, questions surrounding broader geopolitical agendas come to the forefront, involving key international players and their vested interests within the region. The prevailing conditions highlight a dire need for a resolution that addresses both the immediate humanitarian crisis and the underlying political conflicts fueling the violence.