Tuesday’s Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon came a day after a string of bombings that left 492 people dead, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, marking the bloodiest day in decades for the group. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are still high.
There have been over 1,600 injuries with 35 children and 58 women among the dead. With the attacks, the fighting has reached its deadliest day since the Israel-Hezbollah war of 2006.
Israeli soldiers are pushing locals in southern and eastern Lebanon to flee as they continue their air assault against Hezbollah.
This is the biggest exodus of Lebanese people since the War of 2006 as thousands of them have fled from the south, clogging roadways on their route to Beirut. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, this wave of airstrikes has resulted in 492 deaths, including 35 children and 58 women, and 1,645 injuries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded with Lebanese citizens to flee, saying, “Please get out of harm’s way now. Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
Speaking on behalf of the Israeli military, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari emphasized that Israel’s troops will do “whatever is necessary” to drive Hezbollah off Lebanon’s border with Israel. He said that Hezbollah suffered a great deal of damage as a result of Monday’s strikes, but no timetable for the military’s ongoing operations was provided.
Hagari added that, should the need arise, a ground invasion of Lebanon is still an option.
With over 30 foreign flights to and from Beirut delayed on Tuesday, the situation in Lebanon has significantly disrupted international travel as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah rise. Numerous major airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and other airlines from the United Arab Emirates, confirmed cancellations on the website of Rafic Hariri International Airport.
The office of interim prime minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon has stated that he will be attending the UN General Assembly in New York due to the worsening crisis. In response to the most recent round of Israeli strikes, Mikati plans to have “further contacts,” indicating Lebanon’s need for outside assistance.
The already serious humanitarian situation in Lebanon is made worse by the fact that this latest attack occurs while the nation is still trying to recover from a recent attack on its communication infrastructure.
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