Intense Israeli airstrikes kill at least 100, injure 400 in Lebanon

Lebanon’s Health Ministry has reported that at least 100 people have been killed and over 400 wounded due to intensive Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza over the past 24 hours. 

Among the casualties are children, women, and emergency personnel, marking one of the most severe bombardments in nearly a year of ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

Before the latest escalation that began with the wave of pager explosions on September 17, around 600 people had been killed in Lebanon since October, mostly fighters, but also more than 100 civilians.

The Israeli military announced it targeted approximately 300 Hezbollah positions, sharing images of military leaders, including Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, approving further assaults from headquarters in Tel Aviv. Israeli officials have indicated a commitment to intensified military action against Hezbollah in the coming days.

As part of these operations, the military has urged civilians living near suspected Hezbollah sites to evacuate immediately. Reports from southern Lebanon show populated areas suffering missile strikes, including the central province of Byblos, where at least one person was killed. In the Baalbek and Hermel regions, early morning strikes resulted in the death of a shepherd and injuries to his family members.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported multiple incidents of injury, particularly in the southern village of Aitaroun, where one person is in critical condition.

“We are deepening our attacks in Lebanon. The actions will continue until we achieve our goal to return the northern residents safely to their homes,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated in a video released on September 23.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have emphasized that their focus remains on aerial operations, with no immediate plans for a ground invasion.

In a precautionary measure, the IDF has warned Lebanese civilians against housing Hezbollah militants and has sent text messages advising residents to avoid buildings suspected of storing weapons. Despite these warnings, there is currently no mass evacuation observed in southern Lebanon.

This latest round of violence follows significant exchanges over the weekend, where Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets and drones into northern Israel, some landing near the city of Haifa. The escalation was triggered by an Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb that killed a prominent Hezbollah commander and numerous other militants, alongside many civilians.

Additionally, last week saw tragic incidents involving handheld communications devices that exploded across Lebanon, resulting in 39 fatalities and nearly 3,000 injuries. While Lebanon has accused Israel of responsibility for these explosions, Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement.

By Khagan Isayev