Israeli airstrikes on Monday killed nearly 500 people and injured over 1,600 in Lebanon, marking the deadliest day of conflict since the 2006 war between the two countries.
The strikes targeted Hezbollah positions as part of Israel’s broader military campaign against the Iran-backed militant group.
Israeli officials confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) hit 1,300 Hezbollah-linked “terrorist targets” across Lebanon. The airstrikes focused on military infrastructure, including rocket launch sites and weapons storage in civilian areas.
“These numbers also include many terrorists we killed today who were near the weapons,” said IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, explaining the high death toll. He added that Hezbollah has been hiding advanced weapons in private homes, including cruise missiles and armed drones.
In a recorded message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Lebanese civilians to evacuate areas near Hezbollah positions as Israeli military operations intensify. "Take this warning seriously," Netanyahu cautioned, addressing residents in areas targeted by ongoing Israeli airstrikes. "Please get out of harm’s way now. Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes."
Netanyahu reiterated that the strikes were part of a broader strategy to shift the security balance in the north, stating, “Whoever tries to hurt us, we hurt him even more.”
Following the attacks, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that 492 people had been killed, including 25 children and 58 women, while 1,650 were injured.
Ongoing Tensions with Hezbollah
The conflict with Hezbollah intensified after the October 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack that triggered Israel’s invasion of Gaza. Although neither Israel nor Iran, Hezbollah's key ally, appear to want a direct war, rising tensions have led to concerns that the situation could spiral out of control.
Hezbollah retaliated on Monday, firing rockets and cruise missiles at an Israeli military post in Galilee and targeting the Rafael defense firm in Haifa for a second day. Israel reported one injury from shrapnel, while Lebanon faced significantly higher casualties.
Lebanese hospitals in the south and east were forced to suspend nonessential surgeries due to the volume of wounded. The Ministry of Education also ordered school closures across the country in response to the ongoing strikes.
Israel has evacuated 60,000 residents from its northern border area, while over 100,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the International Organization for Migration.
International Concerns
The escalating conflict has drawn global attention, with U.S. President Joe Biden warning of the potential for further violence. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep a wider war from breaking out,” Biden stated, as the U.S. Department of State urged American citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial flights remain available.
The crisis erupted after a Hamas terrorist attack killed 1,200 people in Israel, prompting retaliatory strikes. Since then, over 41,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israeli intelligence suggests that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, may have been killed in an airstrike, though his death remains unconfirmed.