Israel – Lebanon. Bloody attacks on Hezbollah targets. Many victims, people flee

As reported late on Monday evening by the Lebanese Ministry of Health, as a result of Israeli attacks At least 492 people died and at least 1,645 were injured. They include women, children and health care workers.

The Israeli military said its air force had struck more than 300 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Supported by Iran Hezbollah has been involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict, centered in the Gaza Strip, almost since the outbreak of its current phase almost a year ago. The aim of the attacks carried out from Lebanese territory is to support Hamas.

The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified in recent days, reaching levels not seen in months. Monday's Israeli attack was the deadliest in Lebanon at least since the mutual shelling began last fall. According to CNN, the attacks were the most intense since 2006.when a ceasefire was agreed between the two countries. In the Second Lebanon War, more than a thousand Lebanese and more than 100 Israelis died.

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Residents of southern Lebanon fled their homes Monday to escape fresh attacks, heading toward the cities of Sidon and the capital, Beirut, with heavy traffic jams forming on the roads.

On Monday afternoon, the Israeli military said it had carried out an attack on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital. The strike was targeted at senior Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki, head of the Southern Front, according to Reuters.

Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that “every Lebanese home that was attacked had a Hezbollah weapon.” He also vowed to continue the bombardment and called on residents of the northern Bekaa Valley, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, to “immediately evacuate areas where Hezbollah has weapons.”

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli military warned that it would also bomb homes where Hezbollah weapons were stored and urged civilians to leave areas used by the group as soon as possible.

It was the first such warning in nearly a year of mutual strikes. The message was spread, among other things, by text messages. One telecommunications company confirmed that 80,000 such messages had been sent. Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makari described the actions as “psychological warfare.”

“Israel does not want war, but we have the right to defend our people, it is our duty,” said President Yitzhak Hertzog, quoted on Monday by the Times of Israel.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that over the past few days Israel had dealt Hezbollah “a series of blows that it could not have imagined.”

“If Hezbollah has not understood this message, I assure you: it will understand what we mean. We are determined to ensure that our citizens in the north of the country return safely to their homes. No country can tolerate shelling of its cities and citizens. We, as the state of Israel, will not tolerate it either,” he stressed.

Israel is not waging war against the Lebanese, but against Hezbollah, which exploits civilians and stores weapons in homes and garages, Netanyahu stressed in a speech addressed to the people of Lebanon.

As he explained, the army must destroy Hezbollah's arsenal because the rockets and missiles are aimed at Israeli cities. He noted that the residents of southern Lebanon will be able to return to their homes after the Israeli operation ends.

The Israeli Air Force insisted on Monday morning that the attack was preemptive. Earlier, it was reported that it had received information about Hezbollah's preparations for rocket fire into northern Israel.

In fact, the organization announced that it had fired dozens of rockets at Israel that day. The military reported that some of them were shot down. Five people were slightly injured.

Schools in the targeted areas on both sides of the border were initially closed on Monday and hospitals suspended elective procedures to focus on helping the wounded.

However, Lebanese authorities later ordered the suspension of all classes in schools and universities across the country. This applies to both public and private institutions.

Intense shelling by both sides continued throughout the weekend. Israel attacked Beirut on Friday, killing about ten senior Hezbollah commanders who were planning a ground invasion of northern Israel. The airstrike killed a total of 37 people, including seven women and three children, and wounded 68.

Hezbollah began its regular shelling on October 8, 2023, to support the Palestinian Hamas fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip. The Iranian-backed group's attacks have been met with counterattacks. So far, more than 600 people have been killed in shelling on the Lebanese side, mostly Hezbollah fighters, and on the Israeli side – dozens of civilians and soldiers.

The attacks also forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 people from both sides of the border. Last week, the Israeli government declared stopping Hezbollah's attacks on the country's north and allowing tens of thousands of evacuees to return as an official war goal. Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced the beginning of a “new phase of the war.”

On Tuesday and Wednesday, two series of coordinated electronic device explosions occurred in Lebanon. At least 39 people were killed and about 3,000 injured. Israel has not commented on the operation, but according to Western media, its services organized the attack. Hezbollah has vowed revenge on Israel.