Israel-Hezbollah escalation, 182 killed in Israeli strikes
Israel attacked hundreds of Hezbollah targets with airstrikes on September 23rd, as reported by The Arab Weekly and agencies.
Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 182 people had been killed, including women, children, and medics, and 727 were wounded.
This makes it the deadliest day in Lebanon in nearly a year of conflict with Israel.
Read: Hezbollah threatens Israel after pager blast in Lebanon
Israel has issued warnings for civilians to evacuate areas where it claims Hezbollah is storing weapons, following intense cross-border clashes.
After nearly a year of conflict with Hamas in Gaza along its southern border, Israel is now shifting its focus to its northern frontier, where Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, has been firing rockets into Israel from Lebanon.
On Monday, Israel carried out its most extensive strikes yet, targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and northern regions near Syria. Earlier, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee reported that more than 300 Hezbollah targets had been struck, warning that airstrikes would target homes in Lebanon where “Hezbollah was hiding weapons.”
Read: Hezbollah launches first attack on Israel since pager blasts
The latest attacks followed a September 20th airstrike on Beirut that killed 45 people, including Hezbollah commanders. Earlier in the week, explosions targeting communication systems across Lebanon resulted in 39 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that “challenging days” lie ahead as Israel escalates its offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. After a military briefing in Tel Aviv, he urged Israelis to stay united, emphasizing, “We are altering the security balance and shifting the power dynamics in the north – exactly as we planned.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reinforced Netanyahu’s message, stating that military operations would continue “until we achieve the goal of safely returning northern residents to their homes.” His comments suggest the conflict could be prolonged, as Hezbollah has vowed to fight on until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.
The Arab Weekly and agencies
