Israeli bombings in Lebanon/ Israeli strikes on Hezbollah/ Lebanon-Israel conflict escalation/ Newslooks/ JERUSALEM/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Israeli military launched its most intense airstrikes in a year, targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon and killing 100 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The strikes, which hit 300 sites, have raised fears of a broader war as Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire. Israel urged southern Lebanon residents to evacuate, signaling more extensive attacks.
Lebanon’s Deadliest Day in Israeli Strikes: Quick Look
- Israeli forces hit 300 targets in Lebanon, killing 100 people and wounding over 400.
- Hezbollah retaliated with rocket and drone strikes on northern Israel, including Haifa’s defense facilities.
- Israel warned southern Lebanon civilians to evacuate due to Hezbollah’s hidden weapons caches.
- The conflict has steadily escalated since Hezbollah’s involvement after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.
- Airstrikes extended far beyond the border, targeting Lebanon’s central and northeastern regions.
Israeli Airstrikes Kill 100 in Lebanon’s Deadliest Day
Deep Look
The escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah reached a grim milestone on Monday, as Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon killed 100 people, making it the deadliest day in Lebanon since the clashes began in October. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that over 400 others were wounded in the airstrikes, which targeted Hezbollah strongholds across the country.
Israel confirmed that its military launched a significant offensive, striking 300 targets in Lebanon in response to ongoing Hezbollah attacks. According to the Israeli military, the strikes were aimed at curbing Hezbollah’s growing rocket and drone assaults into northern Israel. Monday’s airstrikes represent one of the heaviest bombardments in nearly a year of fighting between the two sides.
Hezbollah responded to the airstrikes by firing dozens of rockets and drones into Israel, targeting a military post in Galilee and defense facilities in Haifa. The militant group has pledged continued support for Hamas, which has been engaged in intense fighting with Israel since its surprise attack on October 7. As Israeli air raid sirens blared in northern towns, Israel continued to warn southern Lebanon residents to evacuate due to the presence of Hezbollah’s hidden weapons caches. This marked the first time in nearly a year that Israel issued such a warning.
Israeli military officials posted images on social media showing Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the country’s military chief, reviewing and approving further strikes against Hezbollah from military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Israeli leaders, including Halevi, have promised an even tougher stance against Hezbollah in the coming days, signaling that more intense confrontations are likely.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli strikes extended beyond southern Lebanon, hitting targets as far as 81 miles north of the border, including forested areas in the central Byblos province. Strikes also reached the Baalbek and Hermel regions in the northeast, where a shepherd was killed, and several others were injured. The airstrikes left 30 people wounded overall, with widespread destruction reported.
In anticipation of further casualties, the Lebanese Health Ministry urged hospitals in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley to postpone non-emergency surgeries, keeping beds available for potential victims of Israel’s continued air campaign.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s retaliation involved targeting key Israeli defense infrastructure, including the Rafael defense firm’s facilities in Haifa. The group’s continued rocket attacks come amid rising fears of an all-out war as Israel also battles Hamas militants in Gaza.
The situation in Lebanon and Israel remains volatile, with Hezbollah vowing to intensify its efforts in solidarity with Palestinian militants, and Israel focused on securing its northern border. Both sides have suffered significant casualties over the past year. Lebanon, in particular, has seen over 600 fatalities since October, with most of the dead being Hezbollah fighters, though civilian casualties continue to mount.
Adding to the complexity of the conflict, Israel has accused Hezbollah of turning southern Lebanese villages into armed strongholds, concealing rocket launchers and weapons caches within civilian areas. The Israeli military has threatened to escalate its bombing campaign, even in the absence of ground operations.
For now, the near-daily exchanges of fire have displaced thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border. Many of the border towns are now empty, with residents fleeing the growing violence. In the past week, tensions flared further when an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed a top Hezbollah commander and dozens of fighters.
In a separate incident last week, a series of explosions involving communications devices, reportedly used by Hezbollah, killed 39 people across Lebanon. The Lebanese government blamed Israel for the explosions, though Israel did not claim responsibility.
The ongoing hostilities trace back to October 7, when Hamas militants launched a coordinated attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of around 250 people. Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel the following day to support Palestinian fighters in Gaza. Since then, Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah rocket fire have become a regular occurrence along the Israel-Lebanon border, leading to hundreds of deaths and widespread displacement.
The conflict is also taking a heavy toll on infrastructure and agriculture, with fires caused by the fighting ravaging large swathes of farmland. Both Israel and Hezbollah show little sign of backing down. Israeli officials have vowed to restore calm to their northern border, even if it means continuing their military campaign against Hezbollah for the foreseeable future.
Despite calls from both Hezbollah and Israel for different terms of engagement, the broader conflict, now nearing its anniversary, appears far from resolution. Hezbollah insists its attacks will continue until a cease-fire is declared in Gaza, while Israel remains committed to suppressing Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
