Over 500 Killed In Israeli Airstrikes On Lebanon
Israel and Hezbollah are engaged in renewed hostilities following a wave of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon that resulted in over 500 deaths.
Hezbollah, also known as the “Party of God,” is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group which was founded in the early 1980s during the Lebanese Civil War, with significant support from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The group was initially established to fight the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
As reported by Al Jazeera, on Tuesday, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets targeting Israeli air bases, including the Megiddo facility, while the Israeli military reported intercepting most projectiles with its Iron Dome defence system.
The Israeli military claimed that more than 50 rockets were fired from Lebanon, with no reported casualties. In retaliation, Israel targeted numerous Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon.
The violence marks the largest escalation since the 2006 war, with Israel claiming to have fired over 1,600 projectiles into Lebanon on Monday.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that the airstrikes killed 558 people, including many women and children, and wounded at least 1,835.
The attacks have drawn international condemnation and calls for de-escalation as world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly.
Tens of thousands have fled their homes, causing severe congestion on highways towards the Lebanese Beirut, while schools have been converted into shelters for those displaced.
The Health Ministry has urged medical staff to postpone non-emergency procedures to accommodate the influx of wounded.
Lebanon’s civil defence responded to 176 fires ignited by Israeli airstrikes, including blazes in agricultural areas and a landfill.
Health Minister Firass Abiad reported that the strikes targeted medical centres, ambulances, and vehicles of people attempting to flee, causing widespread shock both domestically and internationally.
In response to the escalating violence, over 30 international flights to and from Beirut were cancelled, with Qatar Airways suspending its services until Wednesday.
Other airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, and Delta Air Lines, have also halted flights to Beirut.
The ongoing cross-border conflict has displaced tens of thousands on both sides since Israel intensified its military operations in Gaza.
Recent attacks, attributed to Israel, resulted in nearly 40 deaths and almost 3,000 injuries from explosions in Lebanon.
On Friday, Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs killed 59 people, including a high-ranking Hezbollah official.
