Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Monday killed 492 people, including 58 women and 35 children, and injured 1,645 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, marking the deadliest attack since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, AP News reports.
The Israeli military targeted 1,600 Hezbollah sites, claiming to have inflicted significant damage to Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, destroying missiles, rockets, and drones, many of which were reportedly concealed in residential areas. Israel’s military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari indicated that the strikes were “proactive,” targeting infrastructure built by Hezbollah over the past two decades. He stated that Israel was prepared to escalate its military response, including a possible ground invasion if necessary.
The strikes prompted a mass exodus from southern Lebanon, with thousands fleeing toward Beirut, creating traffic jams on main highways. Israeli officials warned civilians to evacuate southern and eastern Lebanon ahead of the air campaign with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu urging them to take the warnings seriously.
