Middle East Tensions Mount as Israeli Strikes Target Lebanon

Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon's border with Syria followed intense attacks in Beirut's suburbs targeting Hezbollah leadership. This has heightened fears of full-scale conflict in the region. Amid international calls for a ceasefire, U.S. President Joe Biden emphasizes the need to prevent all-out war.

The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East has become increasingly volatile following Israeli airstrikes that shut down Lebanon's primary border crossing with Syria. These strikes came on the heels of an assault targeting Hezbollah leaders in Beirut's southern suburbs, raising concerns of an imminent large-scale conflict.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised Iran's military actions against Israel and called for a regional alliance to support Palestine. Meanwhile, Hezbollah retaliated with assaults on Israeli positions, prompting President Joe Biden to caution against escalating the situation to a broad conflict, though he didn't rule out further Israeli military actions.

In response to the tensions, international allies are preparing evacuation plans, and global oil prices have fluctuated significantly. Hezbollah's military maneuvers in southern Lebanon, combined with armed Iranian rhetoric, underscore the fragile peace in the region and the potentially catastrophic consequences of an expanded conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)