On Monday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted airstrikes targeting two weapon depots purportedly affiliated with the Hezbollah terrorist organization near the southern coastal city of Sidon in Lebanon.
These strikes were carried out in retaliation for a drone attack on northern Israel earlier in the day, which fortunately resulted in no casualties or damage.
Reports from Lebanese media indicated that the Israeli airstrikes occurred in the town of Ghaziyeh, situated on the southern outskirts of Sidon, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the northern border.
Videos circulated on social media depicted significant fireballs and billows of smoke emanating from the targeted locations.
Details regarding potential casualties from the airstrikes were not immediately available.
In a televised briefing, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari affirmed that the Israeli military conducted substantial airstrikes in response to the earlier drone assault, although specific details regarding the targets were not disclosed.
Meanwhile, the UN’s highest court will commence hearings on Monday regarding the legal ramifications of the occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967. A record number of 52 countries are anticipating to present evidence during the week-long session at the Peace Palace in The Hague, which serves as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) headquarters.
In response to a request from the UN General Assembly in December 2022, seeking a non-binding “advisory opinion” on the “legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,” the ICJ will deliberate. Although any ruling from the ICJ would not be legally binding, it coincides with increasing international legal pressure on Israel in the aftermath of the conflict in Gaza instigated by the October 7 Hamas attacks.
These hearings are distinct from a prominent case brought by South Africa, which accuses Israel of committing genocidal acts during the ongoing Gaza offensive.
The ICJ previously ruled in January that Israel must take all necessary measures to prevent genocide and facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza but refrained from mandating a ceasefire. Despite rejecting South Africa’s plea for additional measures against Israel on Friday, the ICJ underscored the imperative of enforcing the ruling in its entirety.
The General Assembly has tasked the ICJ with examining two key questions. Firstly, the court will scrutinize the legal implications of what the UN defines as “the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.”
This pertains to the extended occupation, settlement, and annexation of Palestinian territory since 1967, along with efforts to alter the demographic composition, character, and status of Jerusalem.
