# Israeli Escalation in South Lebanon Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon is rolling at an unprecedented pace, amid the expansion of airstrikes and warnings that are targeting vital infrastructure and heritage sites, in a scenario that raises growing concerns about a humanitarian and cultural catastrophe extending from Nabatieh to Tyre and West Bekaa. In the midst of the ongoing escalation, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized that nothing can justify the continuous attacks on Tyre and Nabatieh, nor the destruction of their historical landmarks, nor the repeated threats to innocent civilians, considering that forced evacuation calls and abandoning homes and livelihoods "amount to collective punishment condemned by all international norms and laws." Salam stressed that Lebanon will continue mobilizing Arab and international support to achieve a ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal, ensuring the return of the displaced to their homes with security and dignity. In a serious development, the Israeli army placed the Qaraoun Dam in the direct threat zone, after accusing Hezbollah of attempting to damage the dam, announcing the detection of elements near the facility before targeting them with an airstrike.