### Urgent Plea to Stop Israeli Incursion into Lebanon as Civilian Crisis Deepens

Lebanese political leaders have made an urgent appeal to the international community to intervene and halt Israel's military operations in southern Lebanon. On Tuesday, Israeli forces entered Lebanese territory targeting Hezbollah outposts, intensifying an already dire situation.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned that Lebanon is facing "one of the most dangerous phases of its history," and urged the United Nations to provide emergency funding for civilians affected by the conflict. Imran Riza, the U.N.'s deputy special coordinator in Lebanon, announced that Lebanon is seeking $426 million in aid to cope with the escalating violence. According to Riza, "As violence escalates, we call on the global community to provide this much needed support and to ensure protection of civilians. Without sufficient resources, humanitarians risk leaving the population of an entire country without the support they urgently require."

The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that more than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes over the past two weeks. The U.N. has also noted that around 1 million people, nearly a fifth of Lebanon's population, have been displaced due to the conflict.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, have spiked following recent escalations. The situation dramatically shifted over the weekend with the killing of Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah and several other key officials by Israel. In response, Israel is conducting what it describes as a "limited" ground incursion in southern Lebanon aimed at Hezbollah militants posing a threat to its northern regions. Israeli authorities report that approximately 63,000 Israelis have been displaced due to Hezbollah's rocket fire from Lebanon.

However, skepticism about the true scope of Israel's operations is growing in Lebanon. Najat Aoun Saliba, a Lebanese member of parliament, expressed grave concerns, stating, "This is not an incursion, this is an invasion. We've been invaded by another country and we have to call on the international community to call it as such." Saliba urged world leaders to pressure Israel to immediately cease its military offensive, emphasizing that continued violence will only exacerbate the crisis. "We don't want Lebanon to also turn into another Gaza," she added.

The conflict escalated following the October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. In solidarity with Hamas, Hezbollah has vowed to keep launching rockets into northern Israel until Israel calls a cease-fire in its Gaza operations.