Masses of Lebanese have fled their homes in recent days, in light of the powerful IDF attacks and repeated warnings, and their number already stands at least half a million, according to estimates coming today (Wednesday) from Lebanon. Meanwhile, Nasrallah continues to lose senior military officials - but has not opened his mouth since his last speech.
Heavy traffic jams continue on the roads of the Land of Cedars, from the south of the seaside city of Sidon, in the shadow of IDF attacks in the Bekaa Valley and villages in the south.
At the same time, it seems that Hezbollah is changing its approach in a certain sense and distributing footage from Israel in groups identified with it - in an attempt to sow panic and spread a "victory image" of severe damage on the other side.
In practice, channels identified with Hezbollah echo marginal reports of "casualties" an attempt to calm the area and signal to the Lebanese that they are "on guard" and that the event is supposedly under control.
Hezbollah's propaganda apparatus has been operating intensively in recent days. For example, yesterday they warned against the leaflets that the IDF dropped in the Bekaa Valley. "We ask not to open the barcodes or distribute them, but to refrain from publishing them as they are a very dangerous thing, and the enemy will take all the information in your possession, the codes will harm you," they claimed.
However, in reality, the images of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese leaving northward and the atmosphere of war in the streets speak for themselves, and schools are not operating in several districts in Lebanon, at least until the end of the week.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Abu Habib also testified to the large wave of displaced persons, claiming that their number before the recent attacks stood at 100,000. According to reports, at least 11,000 displaced persons have already crossed the border from Lebanon to Syria.
The Beirut municipality announced that about 10,000 displaced persons have arrived in the capital and are in 45 schools and additional complexes in the city that have turned into shelter centers. At the same time, documentation is being published from Sidon where the Lebanese have set up improvised tents that serve as shelter for them.
The escalation in Lebanon has also affected flights. Sources in the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is identified with Hezbollah, that in the last 24 hours, 45.6% of flights to and from Beirut were canceled. According to them, the cancellation of flights is expected to continue, mainly by foreign companies "who fear unforeseen events in Lebanese skies".
Meanwhile, official sources in Lebanon told Al-Akhbar: "Everything that has arrived in Beirut so far are not a serious proposal to stop the escalation - but a combination of threats to stop the support front in Gaza or advice not to be dragged into a big war."
Regarding the visit of French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian who met yesterday with senior officials in Beirut, it was claimed that "he did not bring with him any proposal or initiative, but he spoke in general about the French position, emphasized that the escalation must be stopped and referred to Western efforts to calm the situation. Those who met him said his visit was a waste of time."
Al-Akhbar reported from sources in Cairo: "Egypt received promises from the US that Israeli attacks in Lebanon will not include Lebanese army facilities or state institutions at the current stage of attacks [which is] expected to end before the end of the week."
According to the report, the Americans claimed that "the diplomatic solution is still on the table, unless there are powerful responses towards the depth of Israel."
Senior American officials emphasized in contacts they held with their Egyptian counterparts in the last two days, that "the Israeli attacks are intended to carry out precise strikes in Lebanon in various areas, in an attempt to weaken Hezbollah's military capabilities, and this is enough at this stage of escalation for now."
Channel 12 contributed to this article.
