BEIRUT: Israel said it launched a new wave of “extensive” strikes on Tuesday against Lebanon’s Hezbollah group after more than 558 people were killed on Monday when Israel hit more than 1,300 sites in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes killed at least 558 people on Monday, sending tensions soaring on the deadliest day of violence in the country.
The Lebanese Health Minister, Firass Abiad, confirmed that the overwhelming majority of those killed in Monday’s attacks were unarmed civilians in their homes. On Tuesday, another six Lebanese were killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Beirut.
The Israeli military claimed it killed Hezbollah’s rocket forces commander, Ibrahim Kobeissi. Israeli forces have been conducting near-daily cross-border attacks since the onset of the Gaza war on October 7.
In the evening, the Israeli military said it was “currently conducting extensive strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern at the UN General Assembly, stating that “Lebanon is at the brink” and warning against the transformation of Lebanon into a scenario similar to Gaza. “We should all be alarmed by the escalation. Lebanon is at the brink,” he said while cautioning against “the possibility of transforming Lebanon (into) another Gaza”.
US President Joe Biden echoed this sentiment, urging against a full-scale war and advocating for a diplomatic resolution to the escalating conflict. “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even though the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible,” Biden added.
Despite increasing international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains defiant, asserting that the military campaign against Hezbollah will continue. “We will continue to hit Hezbollah… the one who has a missile in his living room and a rocket in his home will not have a home,” he stated.
Hezbollah retaliated on Tuesday with missile strikes targeting Israeli military installations, further escalating the cross-border conflict. The Israeli military reported intercepting most of the projectiles but acknowledged the intensity of the ongoing exchanges of fire.
The Israeli military said more than 50 projectiles were fired into northern Israel in less than 10 minutes, adding it intercepted most of them. It said it had carried out more strikes on Hezbollah’s infrastructure.
Hezbollah said later it targeted four more Israeli military sites, including a military camp south of Haifa, with three “Fadi” rockets.
The UN refugee agency reported that tens of thousands of Lebanese have fled their homes amid the intensifying bombardment, with many seeking refuge in makeshift centers or crossing into neighboring Syria. “The toll on civilians is unacceptable,” said UN spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh.
Residents of Beirut expressed their fears as they were forced to evacuate. One mother, Thuraya Harb, described Tuesday as a “day of terror,” recalling how her family fled their home with little more than the clothes on their backs.
Meanwhile, Iran condemned Israel’s actions in Lebanon. President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Lebanon “cannot stand alone” against Israeli aggression. He emphasized the need to prevent Lebanon from suffering the same fate as Gaza. “We must not allow Lebanon to become another Gaza at the hands of Israel,” he said.
Other leaders have expressed alarm over the rapid escalation, with the European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell warning “We are almost in a full-fledged war”.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington opposed an Israeli ground invasion targeting Hezbollah and had “concrete ideas” on how to de-escalate the crisis.
