Israeli strikes kill 492 in heaviest daily toll in Lebanon since 1975-90 civil war

According to Lebanon's health ministry, more than 492 individuals have lost their lives and 1,645 have been wounded due to a series of Israeli airstrikes aimed at supposed Hezbollah positions. This tragic event has resulted in the highest number of daily fatalities the nation has seen since the conclusion of the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1990.

Many thousands of individuals escaped from towns and villages in southern Lebanon, heading along the main route to Beirut, following Israel's most severe attack in nearly a year of ongoing cross-border conflicts. Sirens could also be heard in Haifa, a city in northern Israel. According to the Lebanese health ministry, among the casualties were 35 children and 58 women.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military is altering the "security dynamics" at the country's northern border. "I committed to transforming the security dynamics and the power structure in the north, and that is precisely what we are implementing," he remarked during a security briefing on Monday.

The head of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, announced that the military is readying itself for the upcoming stages in Lebanon, promising to provide more details later. “We are primarily focusing on the combat structures that Hezbollah has been developing over the last two decades. This is extremely important,” he stated.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it targeted over 1,300 Hezbollah sites in the last 24 hours, marking the largest initiative against the group since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October, which was sparked by Hezbollah's attacks on Israel in support of Hamas. Additionally, Israel conducted airstrikes in the Beqaa Valley and launched its second strike on Beirut within a week, claiming it was a "limited" operation in the southern Dahieh suburb. Israeli news sources indicated that the airstrike aimed at Ali Karaki, the third-in-command of Hezbollah's military, although the organization claimed he was unharmed and safely located during the incident.

The Israel Defense Forces reported that approximately 35 rockets were launched from Lebanon targeting the Safed region in Israel. Some of these rockets landed in open spaces near the community of Ami’ad.

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, addressed the central discussion at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. He mentioned that he is making efforts to ease tensions in the region. “I’ve received updates about the recent events in Israel and Lebanon. My team is in regular communication with their officials, and we are actively trying to reduce the conflict,” he stated during meetings with the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the White House.

Earlier in the day, the IDF notified residents in Beirut and surrounding regions through phone calls, urging them to leave their homes and stay away from any buildings that may be storing Hezbollah weapons.

"The operations will keep going until we successfully bring the residents of northern Israel back to their homes safely," said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a video released by his office. He indicated that this may lead to an extended conflict, especially since Hezbollah has committed to continuing their fight until a ceasefire is established in Gaza. "These are moments where the Israeli public needs to remain calm."

Traffic congestion overwhelmed the highways leaving southern Lebanon as residents escaped the ongoing airstrikes. Regions that had provided refuge for those displaced since last year suddenly found themselves targeted by the Israeli military.

"We've felt the impact of airstrikes here on the outskirts of [Tyre]. Just 100 meters away from the [displacement] center, there were three attacks," reported Bilal Kashmar, who coordinates activities at a displacement center in the southern city. He shared a video capturing a cloud of smoke billowing up just across the street from the shelter that accommodates hundreds of families.

"The people who've been forced to leave are no longer approaching us; those looking to escape are completely leaving the southern region," Kashmar noted.

Tyre has provided refuge for thousands of people forced to flee due to conflict, as the city has mostly avoided airstrikes until recently. Prior to the fighting on Monday, over 110,000 individuals had already been forced to leave their homes in southern Lebanon.

"The bombings just keep coming, one after another. People are terrified," stated Hassan Dabouk, the leader of Tyre's municipal union.

Social media was flooded with clips showing buildings crumbling and bombs dropping from above, with the resulting blasts jolting those capturing the scenes. In one particular video, a driver records the smoke rising along the road in front of them after an attack. Suddenly, one of the passengers shouts, “Stop, stop, stop!” and the video abruptly ends.

Dabouk emphasized that the roads are dangerous right now. "There are bombings happening from our location in Tyre all the way to Saida. It's crucial to consider the risks before deciding to go out," he advised.

Individuals whose family and friends were leaving the South made public requests for any vacant apartments or rooms to shelter their loved ones. This led to a number of spontaneous efforts to find housing, as people rallied together to share information about available spaces. In addition, hostels began to offer reduced prices for those who had been displaced.

“We're currently gathering information from individuals who have ties to secure regions, particularly in Druze and Christian communities,” explained Faten Jebai, a journalist from southern Lebanon. She has encouraged anyone in need of shelter to get in touch with her, as she and a group of volunteers are striving to link displaced individuals with those willing to offer their homes or affordable rental options.

"Over 80 members of my family are currently relocating from the South, so I'm on the lookout for them as well as for my friends and family friends," Jebai mentioned.

The UN peacekeeping organization in Lebanon, known as Unifil, has requested its civilian employees to move from southern Lebanon to the north as a safety precaution due to increased fighting in the region on Monday. Meanwhile, UN peacekeepers and essential personnel will continue to stay in southern Lebanon.

It released a comment highlighting serious worries about the safety of civilians in southern Lebanon during the most severe Israeli airstrikes since last October, calling for a reduction in tensions.

"The statement warned that an escalation of this precarious situation could lead to serious and widespread consequences, impacting not only the people living along the blue line but also affecting the wider region."

Since the onset of the conflict between Hamas and Israel, the Israeli armed forces and Hezbollah have been involved in a constrained war of attrition.

The ongoing violence has amplified worries about a potential large-scale war. Recently, devices like walkie-talkies and pagers that were purchased by Hezbollah for their members detonated, resulting in 42 fatalities and over 3,000 injuries. Additionally, an Israeli airstrike on a neighborhood in Beirut on Friday took the life of a high-ranking Hezbollah military leader, along with more than a dozen of his fighters and numerous civilians, including children.

On Sunday, Hezbollah fired around 150 rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel in response to the attack that took place on Friday.

Hezbollah has pledged to keep carrying out attacks in support of the Palestinians and Hamas, another militant group supported by Iran. Meanwhile, Israel has stated that it is determined to bring back Israelis who were moved away from the border area when the rocket attacks started.