In response, Hezbollah unleashes additional rocket attacks towards Israel.
During Yom Kippur, the significant Jewish holiday in Israel, attacks originate from Lebanon in the form of rockets targeted at the Israeli military. These missiles are attributed to Hezbollah, who take responsibility for the assaults. Despite the persistent attacks, the United States persistently works towards achieving a truce between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah militants based in Lebanon claim to have struck an Israeli military facility close to Haifa's coastal city. They reportedly aimed their attacks at an explosives factory located south of Haifa.
In Israel, observance of Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, started on Friday evening. Prior to this, Hezbollah had encouraged residents near military installations in northern Israel to stay away from such areas. Early morning alarms were reported in several locations throughout northern Israel.
The United States, represented by its special envoy for Lebanon, Amos Hochstein, is putting in relentless efforts to attain a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. "Our aim is to terminate the entire conflict," Hochstein asserted in an interview with the Lebanese TV station LBC on Friday. "We are working tirelessly towards this," he added.
In the context of recent events involving injured UN peacekeepers, Hochstein decried the unfolding events as "unacceptable." He strongly urged that the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Beirut should cease directly.
Norwegian Response
Simultaneously, Norway is temporarily vacating some of its embassy personnel from Beirut, the Lebanese capital. Norway's Foreign Ministry cited worsening security due to multiple Israeli attacks, including those on Beirut and UN peacekeepers, as the basis for this measure. The ambassador and a select group of Norwegian diplomats are set to remain in the country.
The Foreign Ministry made this statement, saying, "The security situation in Lebanon continues to be highly volatile and unforeseeable. Close to the Norwegian embassy in Beirut, explosions have occurred, causing some Norwegian diplomats to temporarily depart Lebanon." Norwegian citizens were encouraged to leave the country while it is still feasible.
Following a major Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah initiated a second line of attack against Israel with repeated air strikes. In response, the Israeli army launched a robust offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Since September, the Israeli military has directed a significant portion of its forces towards combating Hezbollah in Lebanon. Over 1200 people have been killed, and roughly a million individuals have been displaced as a result of the violence.
The Norwegian Department of Foreign Affairs expresses concern over the escalating situation in Lebanon, urging its citizens to consider leaving the country due to the increased number of Israeli attacks. The Commission, led by Amos Hochstein, continues its efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
