‘Deadliest day in a long time’: Lebanon says a minimum of 492 killed in Israeli air strikes
Israel says it has launched air strikes towards a whole lot of Hezbollah targets, killing a minimum of 492 folks and sending tens of 1000’s fleeing for security in Lebanon’s deadliest day in a long time, in response to authorities.
After a few of the heaviest cross-border exchanges of fireplace for the reason that hostilities flared final October, Israel warned folks in Lebanon to go away areas the place it mentioned the armed motion was storing weapons.
Nasser Yassin, the Lebanese minister co-ordinating the disaster response, advised Reuters 89 non permanent shelters in faculties and the like had been activated, with capability for greater than 26,000 folks as civilians fled “Israeli atrocities”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despatched a brief video assertion addressed to the Lebanese folks.
“Israel’s warfare just isn’t with you, it is with Hezbollah. For too lengthy Hezbollah has been utilizing you as human shields,” he mentioned.
After virtually a 12 months of warfare towards Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is shifting its focus to the northern frontier the place Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in assist of Hamas
Israel’s navy mentioned it had struck Hezbollah in Lebanon’s south, east and north.
Lebanon’s well being ministry mentioned 492 folks had been killed — together with 35 youngsters — and a minimum of 1,200 wounded.
One Lebanese official mentioned it was Lebanon’s highest each day dying toll from violence for the reason that 1975-1990 civil warfare.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant mentioned Monday marked a “important peak” within the practically year-long battle.
“On at the present time we have now taken out of order tens of 1000’s of rockets and exact munition. What Hezbollah has constructed over a interval of 20 years for the reason that second Lebanon Battle, is in reality being destroyed by the IDF,” he mentioned in a press release.
The Israeli air drive mentioned on X it had carried out about 650 strike missions up to now 24 hours, attacking greater than 1100 targets utilizing greater than 1400 munitions, hitting buildings autos and different locations the place it mentioned weapons have been saved.
On Monday night Israel launched a strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs geared toward senior Hezbollah chief Ali Karaki, the pinnacle of the southern entrance, a safety supply advised Reuters.
Hezbollah later mentioned Karak was okay and moved to a secure place.
Earlier, Gallant mentioned the marketing campaign would proceed till “we obtain our aim to return the northern residents safely to their properties”.
Hezbollah for its half has vowed to battle on till there’s a ceasefire within the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli navy mentioned it had struck about 800 targets linked to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa valley.
“Among the many targets struck have been buildings the place Hezbollah hid rockets, missiles, launchers, UAVs and extra terrorist infrastructure,” it mentioned in a press release.
Hezbollah has not commented on Israeli claims that it hid weapons in homes, which Reuters couldn’t independently confirm, nevertheless it has mentioned it doesn’t place navy infrastructure close to civilians.
In response to the strikes, Hezbollah mentioned it had launched dozens of missiles at a navy base in northern Israel.
Sirens warning of Hezbollah rocket hearth sounded throughout northern Israel, together with within the port metropolis of Haifa, and within the northern a part of the occupied West Financial institution, the navy mentioned.
Israel’s navy spokesman mentioned Israeli plane have been getting ready to assault strategic Hezbollah weapons stashed in homes within the Bekaa valley and urged civilians to go away.
‘This can be a psychological warfare’
The strikes have redoubled the strain on Hezbollah, which final week suffered heavy losses when.
The operation was broadly blamed on Israel, which has not confirmed or denied duty.
In New York, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian mentioned Israel wished to tug the Center East right into a full-blown warfare by upsetting Iran to hitch the Israel-Hezbollah battle.
“It’s Israel that seeks to create this all-out battle,” he advised journalists after his arrival in New York to attend the United Nations Common Meeting, saying the results of such instability could be irreversible.
Imad Kreidieh, head of Lebanese telecoms firm Ogero, mentioned greater than 80,000 automated calls asking folks to relocate had been detected on the community.
Lebanese info minister Ziad Makary mentioned his ministry had acquired an Israeli name with an order to go away its constructing however that it will not comply.
“This can be a psychological warfare,” Makary advised Reuters.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 folks through the group’s October 7 assault on Israel, taking round 250 hostages.
The Israeli navy’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed greater than 41,300 folks, in response to the enclave’s well being ministry.