Israeli airstrikes claim hundreds of lives in Lebanon: Maps illustrate rising tensions in the Hezbollah conflict
This article has been updated with the latest details.
Israeli airstrikes have led to nearly 500 fatalities and over 1,600 injuries in Lebanon, marking the most deadly day since the civil war of 1990, according to the Lebanese health ministry. This toll adds to the 37 deaths and thousands of injuries reported last week following widespread explosions believed to be carried out by Israeli forces targeting Hezbollah members.
Since the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, tens of thousands have fled their homes along the Israel-Lebanon border amid escalating conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Monday, the Pentagon disclosed plans to deploy an unknown number of additional troops to the Middle East as tensions with Hezbollah rise. These forces will join approximately 40,000 U.S. military personnel already stationed in the region.
What locations were targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon?
On Monday, Israel conducted extensive airstrikes throughout Lebanon, from the southern border to the northern border with Syria. Reports indicate strikes occurred near towns in the eastern Bekaa Valley and northern Hermel, as shared by a Hezbollah-affiliated TV station. Social media shared footage of thick smoke rising above buildings.
The Lebanese health minister shared that the death toll had surged to over 270, including 21 children and 31 women, with 1,024 others injured. Israel’s military claims it targeted over 300 Hezbollah locations.
Where did Hezbollah launch their attacks on Israel?
Hezbollah initiated its recent missile strikes against Israel between September 21 and 22. These attacks align with the announcement from Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s Secretary General, regarding the group’s commitment to continue cross-border actions supporting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as reported by the Guardian.
In the past week, the violence has escalated, marking the furthest reach into both nations since Hamas’s unexpected attack on Israel last October, which resulted in the most significant escalation in the Israel-Hamas conflict in decades.
CONTRIBUTING Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Tom Vanden Brook, and Taylor Wilson
SOURCE: Institute for the Study of War,
