Tensions continue to escalate in West Asia as ceasefire violations in Lebanon, escalating fighting in Syria, and the ongoing war on Gaza intensify. The Israeli military has issued new forced displacement orders for Palestinians in parts of southern Khan Younis, following strikes that killed at least nine people in central and northern Gaza.

In another latest development, US President-elect Donald Trump, in a stern message on social media, sought immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza.He added if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be 'Hell To Pay.'

In Lebanon, the ceasefire that took effect last week is under threat, with Israel’s military and Hezbollah exchanging fire. Both sides have accused each other of violations. Heavy Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon have killed at least 11 people.

Meanwhile, in Syria, Syrian and Russian forces have intensified air attacks on Idlib city and positions in Aleppo as President Bashar al-Assad’s government tries to slow the advance of opposition fighters. The Syrian government under Assad is politically and militarily supported by Iran and Russia. This surge in fighting has raised the prospect of another violent front emerging in the already war-torn West Asia. 

Here are the latest updates from West Asia:

• Israel Kills 11 People In Lebanon

Since the ceasefire with Hezbollah came into effect last week, Israel has continued its assaults on Lebanon, killing 11 people in separate attacks.

The truce was pushed to the brink on Monday when Israeli airstrikes killed two people. In retaliation, Hezbollah launched an attack on an Israeli military position. Israel then responded with a series of air raids, which killed at least nine people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The ceasefire had brought an end to a devastating war that killed nearly 4,000 people in Lebanon, where Hezbollah launched daily rocket attacks on Israel. 

• Hamas Says 33 Captives Killed In Gaza 

Hamas has reported the deaths of 33 Israeli captives held in Gaza since the start of Israel’s nearly 14-month-old war in the besieged enclave.

In a video released on Monday, the group blamed the deaths on “the stubbornness of the war criminal” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “his ongoing aggression.”

The video listed incidents and dates of the killings, with Israeli airstrikes cited as the primary cause. This comes as Egypt, Qatar, and the United States lead renewed mediation efforts for a ceasefire that would include the release of captives. 

• Trump Warns Of ‘Hell To Pay’ If Hostages Not Released

United States President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stern warning, saying “there will be hell to pay” if captives in Gaza are not released by the time he assumes office on January 20, 2025.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump decried “all talk, and no action” about the captives, in an apparent jibe at US President Joe Biden and his administration’s inability to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during more than a year of war.

“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,” he said.

“Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!” he wrote.

• Syria, Russia Forces Step Up Air Raids 

Syrian and Russian forces have intensified air attacks on Idlib city and positions in Aleppo as President Bashar al-Assad’s government tries to slow the advance of opposition fighters. This follows days after insurgents launched a lightning offensive and nearly captured all of Syria’s largest city, Aleppo.

The big gains by the opposition over the past few days have greatly shifted the front line in Syria’s long-running war between Assad’s forces and the opposition fighters. The Syrian government under Assad is politically and militarily supported by Iran and Russia.

To counter the rebels’ momentum, dozens of Iran-backed militias from Iraq also crossed into Syria overnight to beef up the Syrian military’s defences, according to Associated Press Report.

• Turkey Calls For Reconciliation 

The Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, said on Monday that the rapid advance of opposition fighters in Syria indicates that President Bashar al-Assad must reconcile with his own people and initiate dialogue with the opposition. Turkey, which has supported many opposition factions, and Iran, which backs Assad, have agreed to resume diplomatic efforts along with Russia to restore calm.

Turkey has been seeking to normalise ties with Syria, partly to address security threats from Kurdish militant groups along its southern border and ensure the safe return of more than 3 million Syrian refugees. However, Assad has demanded that Turkey withdraw its forces from northern Syria as a precondition for any normalisation between the two countries.

• Death Toll Across The Region

In Gaza, since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 44,466 Palestinians and wounded 105,358. On the same day, Hamas-led attacks killed at least 1,139 people in Israel, and more than 200 were taken captive.

In Lebanon, Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,961 people and wounded 16,520 since the war on Gaza began.

In Syria, from November 26 to December 1, at least 44 civilians, including 12 children and seven women, were killed in northwest Syria, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).