Lebanon sees deadliest day in years as Israel steps up strikes on Hezbollah

Over 490 individuals have lost their lives, including 35 children, due to powerful and extensive Israeli air strikes aimed at Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to the nation’s health ministry. This marks the most lethal day of conflict in the region in nearly two decades.

Numerous families are said to have abandoned their residences as the Israeli military announced that it targeted 1,300 Hezbollah installations in a campaign aimed at dismantling the infrastructure the militant group has developed since the 2006 conflict.

Hezbollah has fired over 200 rockets into northern Israel, as reported by the military. Paramedics indicated that two individuals sustained injuries from flying debris.

Global leaders have been calling for moderation as both parties seem to be edging nearer to a full-scale conflict.

UN Secretary General António Guterres voiced deep concern over the worsening situation and stated he hopes Lebanon will not turn into another Gaza.

President Joe Biden stated that the United States is focused on reducing tensions to ensure that people can go back home safely. Meanwhile, the Pentagon revealed that it is deploying "a limited number" of extra troops to the Middle East "as a precaution."

For almost a year, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, ignited by the conflict in Gaza, have resulted in the deaths of hundreds, primarily Hezbollah militants, and forced tens of thousands on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

Hezbollah has announced that it is taking action to support Hamas and will continue its efforts until a ceasefire is established in Gaza. Both groups receive backing from Iran and are classified as terrorist organizations by Israel, the UK, and several other nations.

The Pentagon announced that it would be deploying "a limited number" of extra US soldiers to the Middle East as the situation there escalates.

Due to rising tensions in the Middle East and as a precautionary measure, we are deploying a limited number of extra US military personnel to support the troops already stationed there, stated Pentagon spokesperson Maj Gen Pat Ryder during a press briefing with journalists.

He declined to respond to any additional questions regarding the details.

According to reports from Lebanese media, the initial round of air strikes by Israel started at approximately 6:30 AM local time (3:30 AM GMT) on Monday.

"It was terrifying; the missiles soared above us. We were jolted awake by the sound of explosions, something we never anticipated," a woman recounted.

Numerous towns, villages, and rural regions were struck during the day across various districts, including Sidon, Marjayoun, Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, Tyre, Jezzine, and Zahrani in southern Lebanon. Additional areas affected included Zahle, Baalbek, and Hermel in the eastern Bekaa Valley, as reported by the National News Agency (NNA).

In the evening, it was reported that several missiles struck a building in the Bir al-Abed neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs.

Lebanese security officials reported that the attack was aimed at Hezbollah's leading commander in southern Lebanon, Ali Karaki, but it is uncertain if he was killed in the incident. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s media department stated that Karaki is “doing well” and has relocated to a secure location.

On Monday evening, Lebanon's health ministry announced that the airstrikes had resulted in 356 fatalities and left 1,246 individuals injured. While the report did not specify the number of civilian versus combatant casualties, it did indicate that among the deceased were 24 children and 42 women.

Health Minister Firass Abiad stated that the airstrikes have forced thousands of families to evacuate their homes.

Traffic was backed up from the south to Beirut as individuals frantically sought to escape amidst the shelling. They responded to audio and text alerts from the Israeli military advising them to evacuate quickly from structures where Hezbollah had stashed weapons.

A family of four on a motorcycle took a moment to talk to the BBC in Beirut while they were taking a short break on their journey to Tripoli in the north. The father, looking worried, said, "What do you expect us to say? We had no choice but to leave."

Information Minister Ziad Makary reported that his ministry got a phone call from Israel asking them to vacate their building in Beirut. Despite this, he asserted that they would not give in to what he described as “a psychological war.”

During a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated, “The ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon can be described as a brutal campaign of extermination in every possible way.”

"We are actively taking steps as a government to put an end to this new conflict involving Israel and to prevent a slide into uncertainty," he continued.

On Monday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that its planes had conducted attacks on around 1,300 sites identified as Hezbollah "terror targets" in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. The IDF asserted that these locations were storing rockets, missiles, launchers, and drones.

"We're focusing on the military structures that Hezbollah has developed over the last two decades. This is quite important," said Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the IDF's Chief of Staff, while speaking to commanders in Tel Aviv.

In the end, all efforts are aimed at making it possible for northern residents to go back to their houses.

IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated that footage from southern Lebanon revealed "large secondary explosions triggered by weapons from Hezbollah that were stored within the buildings."

He mentioned that it’s possible that some of the injuries or deaths resulted from the follow-up explosions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the citizens of Lebanon to "move to safety immediately."

“For a long time, Hezbollah has been putting you in danger by using you as human shields. They’ve stored rockets in your homes and missiles in your garages,” he stated. “In order to protect our citizens from Hezbollah attacks, we need to eliminate these weapons.”

A high-ranking official from the Israeli military emphasized that the IDF is "currently concentrating solely on Israel's air operations." This statement was made in response to questions from reporters about whether a ground invasion of southern Lebanon was about to happen in order to establish a buffer zone.

The official stated that Israel has three main objectives: to diminish Hezbollah's capacity to launch rockets and missiles across the Lebanon-Israel border, to drive their fighters away from the border area, and to dismantle the infrastructure created by Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force that might be utilized to target Israeli communities.

Hezbollah did not respond to Israel's allegations that it had concealed weapons in residential buildings, but its media office reported that only one fighter had died by Monday evening.

However, indicating that it is unlikely to retreat, the group announced it had retaliated against what it called the "Israeli enemy's assaults" by launching multiple rocket strikes on several Israeli military installations in northern Israel, as well as targeting a weapons production site in the Zvulun region, located to the north of Haifa.

The IDF reported that by the evening, 210 projectiles had come over from Lebanon. Some of these projectiles landed in the Lower Galilee and Upper Galilee regions, as well as in Haifa and the surrounding areas of Carmel, HaAmakim, and Hamifratz, including the occupied Golan Heights.

A rocket caused significant damage to a home in Givat Avni, located in the Lower Galilee.

Local resident David Yitzhak shared with the BBC that he, along with his wife and their six-year-old daughter, were safe because they quickly reached the sturdy door of their home's safe room just moments before a warning siren went off.

"It's only a meter that separates life from death," he remarked.

Israel's ambulance service reported that they assisted two individuals suffering from shrapnel injuries in the Lower and Upper Galilee areas. Additionally, another person got hurt while trying to reach a shelter quickly.

On Sunday, Hezbollah fired over 150 rockets and drones into Israel, while Israeli aircraft targeted numerous sites throughout southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah continues to be a significant player, even though it has faced setbacks recently, with Israel's defense minister calling it the toughest week the organization has experienced since it was formed.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 39 individuals lost their lives, and thousands were injured when numerous pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah detonated. Then, on Friday, Hezbollah reported that at least 16 of its members, including high-ranking leaders from its special Radwan Force, were part of the 45 casualties in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut.

During a funeral on Sunday, Naim Qassem, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, addressed the attendees, stating that the organization would not back down.

"We've entered a new era," he stated, "one that we can call the ongoing struggle of accountability."

In the streets of Beirut, a young man expressed his fears to the BBC, saying he was "really afraid that the conflict could intensify." He worried it would lead to widespread devastation and would prevent students from being able to attend university.

However, another individual stood firm, stating, "We aren't afraid; we must remain strong and protect ourselves."