The Lebanese health ministry reports that 182 people, including children, were killed by Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon on Monday. Since the fighting in Gaza started on October 7, this is the biggest escalation on the other side of the border.Israeli Strikes Leave 182 Dead and Over 700 Injured in Lebanon.
After the Palestinian organization Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, the conflict broke out. Since then, the conflict has increasingly involved forces sponsored by Iran, chiefly Hezbollah.
Hezbollah claimed credit for bombing three places in northern Israel on Monday, while Israel reported hitting over 300 Hezbollah targets with dozens of airstrikes.
Israeli Strikes
Israeli Strikes, which also left over 700 people injured, were the bloodiest in almost a year of increased tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
According to the health ministry, “Israeli enemy strikes on southern towns and villages since this morning” have resulted in “182 people killed and 727 others wounded,” with “children, women, and paramedics” among the casualties.
Global powers have pleaded with Israel and Hezbollah to retreat from the verge of full-scale conflict, with the recent focus of violence abruptly moving from Israel’s southern front with Gaza to its northern frontier with Lebanon.
“We sleep and wake up to bombardment… That’s what our life has become,” Wafaa Ismail, 60, a housewife from the hamlet of Zawtar in south Lebanon, stated.
Israeli military
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, advised Lebanon’s citizens to stay away from Hezbollah-affiliated regions and issued a warning that strikes will persist “for the near future.”
According to Hagari, Israel’s armed forces are getting ready to launch “more comprehensive and accurate strikes against terror targets deeply embedded throughout Lebanon.” He told the populace to “move to safety immediately.”
Iran-backed Hamas is the ally of Hezbollah, the major political and military organization in Lebanon, and it alleges that Hezbollah is supporting Hamas by acting near Israel’s southern border.
Hezbollah is a major force in Lebanon’s south, east, and the southern suburbs of Beirut, where it has built a solid base of support among Shiites and offers a range of services.
Broader war
Israel’s main supporter and arms supplier, the United States, announced that President Joe Biden’s government would “do everything we can to prevent a wider war from breaking out.”
Ibrahim Aqil, the leader of the Radwan Force, along with other commanders and civilians were killed on Friday after an Israeli airstrike struck Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut. This followed coordinated explosions on Tuesday and Wednesday that targeted communication devices and left close to 3,000 people injured. Israel was held accountable for the bombings by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah responded on Sunday by firing rockets targeting Israeli military manufacturing sites and an airbase close to Haifa, referring to the attack as “an initial response.” The organization declared on Monday that it had attacked two military locations as well as the “Rafael defense industry complexes” close to Haifa.
According to Ofer Levy, a 56-year-old customs inspector who lives close to Haifa, “no country can live like this.”
Following Hamas’s onslaught on Israel on October 7, which resulted in 1,205 deaths—mostly civilians—the fighting intensified, according to an AFP count based on Israeli government statistics. In addition, 251 captives were taken during the attack; of them, 97 are still in Gaza, including 33 that the Israeli military believes to be dead.At least 41,431 individuals have died in Gaza as a result of Israel’s retaliatory offensive, the majority of whom were civilians, according to the health ministry in the region controlled by Hamas. These numbers have been deemed credible by the UN.
The effects of the Israeli strikes on Lebanon are severe and multifaceted, both immediate and long-term:
IHumanitarian Impact: Israeil strikes have killed 182 people, including children, and injured over 700. This significant loss of life and the overwhelming number of wounded puts immense strain on Lebanon’s already fragile healthcare system.
Displacement: As Israeli strikes target Hezbollah strongholds, civilians are being forced to flee their homes, leading to displacement and increased instability in southern Lebanon and nearby regions.
Escalation of Conflict: These strikes are part of a broader regional conflict that risks further escalation. Hezbollah has responded with attacks on Israel, raising fears of a prolonged and wider war that could draw in more actors in the region, such as Iran, and destabilize the Middle East further.
Economic Strain: The destruction caused by the strikes compounds Lebanon’s already critical economic crisis. Damage to infrastructure, homes, and businesses could deepen the country’s financial instability and delay recovery.
Political Ramifications: The strikes strengthen Hezbollah’s narrative of resistance against Israel, which could further polarize Lebanon’s divided political landscape, with Hezbollah’s supporters and opponents vying for influence.
International Relations: The conflict affects international diplomacy, particularly as nations like the U.S. work to prevent a wider war. It also complicates Lebanon’s relations with other countries in the region and beyond, particularly those involved in mediating peace efforts.
Conclusion:
In summary, the Israeli strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon have resulted in significant casualties, with 182 dead and over 700 injured, marking the deadliest escalation in the region in nearly a year. The strikes are part of an ongoing conflict that has drawn in Hezbollah, Iran-backed groups, and Israel in a broader regional confrontation following the eruption of violence between Israel and Hamas. As the Israeli Strikes intensifies, civilians in Lebanon are being urged to move away from Hezbollah-linked areas, with the Israeli military warning of further targeted operations. Both sides continue to trade attacks, deepening fears of a wider war.
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