Israel-Hezbollah conflict continues amid calls for de-escalation

A series of explosions were heard early on Saturday over Beirut's southern suburbs after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for parts of the area.

The Israeli Defense Forces stated on Friday that they had killed 250 Hezbollah members since the start of their ground operation on Monday, striking more than 2,000 military targets.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued to fire rockets into Israel, with Israeli media reporting that the group had launched more than 550 rockets and missiles since Monday.

In response to the escalating violence, UN humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza announced on Friday an additional $2 million from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund to address the deteriorating situation in the country, bringing the total allocation to $12 million so far.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs remains concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians as Lebanon experiences a surge in airstrikes and displacement orders.

"The UN secretary-general is very concerned about the increasing toll on civilians that we are seeing across the immediate region," Riza said, urging all parties to do whatever they can to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensuring they are never put in harm's way.

U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated on Friday that, while Israel has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah, it should make "much more" effort to minimize civilian casualties during such operations.

On the same day, Biden advised Israel against striking Iran's oil facilities, emphasizing that he was trying to rally the world to avoid the escalating prospect of all-out war in the Middle East.

"If I were in their (Israelis') shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields," Biden told reporters when asked about his previous comments regarding discussions with Israel about potential strikes.

Biden added that the Israelis "have not concluded what they're going to do" in retaliation for a massive ballistic missile attack by Iran on Israel on October 1.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Friday that the country's recent military operation against Israel was "completely legal and legitimate," adding that Iran and its regional allies would not back down.

Khamenei urged Israel's adversaries in the region to "double your efforts and capabilities and resist the aggressive enemy" during a rare appearance leading Friday prayers. He emphasized that Iran would "strongly, bravely and decisively" fulfill its responsibilities.

"We will neither hesitate nor be negligent, nor hurry in carrying out this duty," he stated.

Other countries, including Egypt and Türkiye, have called for calm and de-escalation in light of the tit-for-tat fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, condemned the Israeli aggression in Lebanon that resulted in heavy casualties and expressed their countries' full solidarity with Lebanon and its people amid the ongoing crisis.

The two ministers stressed the importance of providing humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people and reaffirmed their opposition to any arrangements or measures that would impact Lebanon's safety and sovereignty, according to the statement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel's attempts to spread the flames of war throughout the Middle East, stating that the region is experiencing one of its most painful years in recent memory.

Erdogan added that Türkiye is closely monitoring developments in the region and working with other countries to strengthen the front of humanity against the perpetrators of atrocities.

(With input from agencies)