At least 30,000 people displaced in Lebanon as Hezbollah-Israel conflict escalates

At least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon and have sought refuge in shelters as hostilities escalate between Israel and Hezbollah, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.

Israel is pressing ahead with an air campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, particularly in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut and the south of the country, after issuing evacuation warnings to residents.

Hezbollah said on Tuesday that it had attacked three Israeli military bases in retaliation for Israeli attacks on its strongholds in Lebanon, including those in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that troops from its 91st Division were conducting operations in southern Lebanon and were deployed at several locations near the border, a move aimed at strengthening its forward defenses.

Lebanese security sources and witnesses said Israeli troops crossed the Blue Line, the interim border between Lebanon and Israel, on Tuesday morning and advanced approximately one kilometer into Lebanese territory.

Sources said the Israeli force comprised one tank and three military bulldozers, adding that the Lebanese army is coordinating with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon to closely monitor the movements of the Israeli soldiers.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that the IDF's advance into southern Lebanon is aimed at preventing Israeli communities from being subjected to direct artillery fire.

In a statement, Katz said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the IDF to advance and occupy more advantageous terrain within Lebanon from which to defend border communities.

At least 30,000 people displaced in Lebanon as Hezbollah-Israel conflict escalates

Two major Qatari energy facilities shut down operations after being damaged during Iran's strikes targeting the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday, adding that the situation had been contained.

QatarEnergy announced on Monday that it had suspended liquefied natural gas (LNG) production following attacks on two of its energy facilities, and on Tuesday said it was suspending production of downstream natural gas products such as urea and methanol.

The shutdown sent gas prices skyrocketing on global energy markets, provoking fears of an energy crisis sparked by the conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking during his weekly press conference, Al-Ansari said that the decision to shut down the facilities was taken as a precaution, to ensure the safety of personnel and infrastructure after the strike damaged key production and processing sites.

"The damage was contained and now the operations to assess, technically, the safety of the facilities is underway. And from the defensive posture, as you have seen, we have been ready in monitoring and dealing with all of these attacks," he said.

Al-Ansari said that Qatar is committed to de-escalating the situation, and added that Qatar had not had any contact with Iran since Feb 28.

"Qatar's diplomatic stance has always been firm and clear: committed to peace, actively promoting de-escalation, advocating dialogue and consultation, and striving to resolve the conflict peacefully," he said.

Major Qatari energy facilities damaged in Iranian strikes: foreign ministry