Heavy Casualties Reported in Lebanon

Israel launched a large-scale bombing campaign against Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon yesterday, causing the heaviest casualties since the devastating war in 2006. A known 558 people were killed, including 50 children.

The Israeli military announced today that it has again launched dozens of waves of airstrikes against Hezbollah. Agence France-Presse reported that the Israeli military carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon overnight, after Israel claimed to have struck about 1,600 suspected Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon and killed a “large number” of militants.

Hezbollah, on the other hand, said today that it had fired a large number of missiles against Israeli military bases. Hours earlier, Hezbollah fired 180 projectiles and a drone into Israeli airspace, prompting residents of the northern Israeli city of Haifa to rush to shelters to avoid airstrikes.

The Israeli military said more than 50 missiles were fired into northern Israel in 10 minutes this morning, but most of them were intercepted. The Israeli military said it carried out more airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure this morning.

Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad said: “So far, the Ministry of Health has reported 558 deaths, including 50 children and 94 women. Most of those who died in yesterday’s airstrikes are civilians. They are at home and unarmed.”

Israel said earlier this month that it would shift its firepower from the Gaza Strip to Lebanon, focusing on attacking Hezbollah in an air campaign it calls the Northern Bank.