Devastating Disaster: 182 Lives Lost, 700 Injured in Catastrophic Event
- Israel has carried out its largest-ever air strikes on hundreds of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, resulting in significant casualties and damage.
- Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that the attacks will continue until the people of the north can safely return to their homes.
- Gallant urged the people of Israel to remain calm during this time.
Israel Launches Largest-Ever Air Strikes on Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon
Israel has carried out its largest-ever air strikes on hundreds of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, resulting in significant casualties and damage.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that the attacks will continue until the people of the north can safely return to their homes. “We are intensifying our attacks in Lebanon. The attacks will continue until we achieve our goal of bringing the people of the north back to their homes safely,” he said in a video released by his office.
Gallant urged the people of Israel to remain calm during this time. ”These are days when the people of Israel will have to show calm,” he said.
The Israeli military struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and northern areas near Syria. According to CNN, this is the most intense air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon since the conflict in Gaza began last October.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that at least 182 people, including women, children, and medical staff, were killed and over 700 injured in the Israeli airstrikes. The number of Hezbollah members killed in the latest airstrikes is not clear.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee confirmed that over 300 Hezbollah targets have been attacked after Israel issued warnings about air strikes on homes in Lebanon where “Hezbollah hides weapons”.
In response to the Israeli airstrikes, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israeli military posts. Israeli warplanes carried out heavy air strikes on towns along Lebanon’s southern border and further north.
Fighter jets also carried out airstrikes on the Hermel area in northern Lebanon. Lebanon’s health ministry ordered all hospitals in the south and east to ”stop all unnecessary surgeries to make room for those injured by Israel’s expanding military campaign”.
Heavy traffic was reported as people evacuated the south, and educational institutions were closed in Lebanon as the airstrikes began. Israel is believed to have sent around 60,000 automated phone calls and text messages to people in Lebanon, warning them to leave their homes before the airstrikes.
The air strikes have increased pressure on Hezbollah, which suffered an attack its leader Hassan Nasrallah called ”unprecedented in history” last week after thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members were accidentally blown up.
Hezbollah blames Israel for attacks on its communications equipment, although Israel has not confirmed or denied responsibility.
In another blow, an Israeli airstrike on the southern outskirts of Beirut on September 20 targeted senior Hezbollah commanders, killing 45. Hezbollah said 16 of its members were among those killed, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and another commander, Ahmed Wahbi.