Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, warns that his army is capable of return Lebanon “back to the Stone Age” in a war with Hezbollah, but insists that the Israeli Government prefers a diplomatic solution to the current situation on the border.

He said this during a visit to Washington, within the framework of the escalation between Israel and the Shiite militia following the Israeli offensive against Gaza Strip. Gallant has also said that he has spoken with US officials about his proposals for governing the enclave once the war is over, which would include Palestinians, regional allies and the US, although it would be “a long and complex process.”

After the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, the crossfire in the Jewish State and Hezbollah, which has been escalating tension until today, amid warnings from the international community about a possible expansion of the conflict.

Precisely in the last hours a Israeli attack has killed at least 19 people and caused the “total destruction” of a two-story building in the town of Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, as well as damage to dozens of homes and vehicles, as reported this Thursday by the Lebanese state news agency ANN.

The attack took place around 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, when “enemy fighters launched a violent airstrike against a two-story building in the Al Masha neighborhood of the city of Nabatieh, completely destroying it.” According to the agency, there were also five injured and as the rescue efforts continued, the number of fatalities rose to 19.

The ANN notes that it is the first attack against Nabatieh since the beginning of hostilities. “The attack turned the surroundings of the attacked building into a real war zoneas clouds of smoke and dust covered the area and cries for help arose from buildings and houses that were damaged and whose windows were broken, in addition to numerous cars in the neighborhood were damaged,” he points out.

Last monday, Israeli fighters bombed the Bekaa Valley, in eastern Lebanon. The clashes between the parties are the worst since the war they fought in 2006 and they take place within the framework of the Gaza war, amid renewed fears that Lebanon will become a second front of the conflict.