Hezbollah vows a prolonged conflict as Israel intensifies strikes on Lebanese infrastructure, with civilian casualties mounting and UN chief calling for a ceasefire.

BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem declared his group’s readiness for a protracted war with Israel.

He made the statement as Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to inflict increasing damage on Lebanese national infrastructure.

“We have prepared ourselves for a long confrontation, and God willing, they (Israelis) will be surprised on the battlefield,” Qassem said in a televised address.

He described the conflict as an existential battle, not a limited or simple one.

Israeli forces destroyed a key bridge over the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military described the bridge as a key crossing for Hezbollah to build up its power.

“This is just the beginning and the Lebanese government and the state of Lebanon will pay an increasing price in damage to Lebanese national infrastructure used by Hezbollah terrorists,” Katz said.

He warned Lebanon would suffer loss of territory until it disarmed Hezbollah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire during a visit to Beirut.

“My strong appeal to those parties, to Hezbollah and to Israel, is for a ceasefire to stop the war,” Guterres said.

He launched a USD 325 million humanitarian appeal to support Lebanon amid mass displacement.

Israeli strikes on Friday killed eight people in the village of Miyeh w Miyeh near Sidon.

In the village of Irkey, Mohammad Taqi buried his four daughters, aged six to 13, killed in a strike.

“Is this the infrastructure? Have you seen it?” he asked, gesturing to his daughters’ bodies.

Strikes also killed two paramedics in Sawaneh and 12 medical staff at a health centre in Burj Qalawiya.

Israeli planes dropped propaganda leaflets over Beirut addressed to the Lebanese people.

One leaflet read, “You must disarm Hezbollah, Iran’s shield” and “Lebanon is your decision, not someone else’s.”

Israel renewed evacuation warnings for Beirut’s southern suburbs and expanded the evacuation zone.

The zone now extends over 40 kilometres from the Lebanon-Israel border.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he had received no response to his offer for direct negotiations with Israel.

 The Sun Malaysia