Death toll in Israel’s Lebanon attacks over 120 as Beirut, south, east hit | Hezbollah News
Hezbollah Urges Evacuations as Israeli Airstrikes Intensify in Lebanon
Hezbollah has urged residents of northern Israel to evacuate border areas amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon that have resulted in at least 123 deaths, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The latest wave of bombardments is part of the escalating conflict involving Israel, Hezbollah, and Iranian forces.
The Ministry’s statement, released Thursday, reported, “The toll from the Israeli aggression on Monday has increased to 123 martyrs and 683 wounded.” This escalation comes as Israeli airstrikes resumed early Friday, targeting several towns in southern Lebanon.
The National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes conducted nighttime strikes on Srifa, Aita al-Shaab, Touline, Sawana, and Majdal Selm. A strike also targeted the eastern town of Dours at dawn.
Hezbollah’s call for evacuation follows Israeli warnings to residents in Beirut’s southern suburbs to leave, leading to significant displacement. The densely populated area, known as Dahiyeh, houses approximately half a million people. The Israeli army claimed it had executed 26 rounds of strikes in Dahiyeh, targeting infrastructure allegedly used by Hezbollah, including its Executive Council headquarters and a drone warehouse.
In a statement, Hezbollah emphasized that it would respond to Israel’s military actions, asserting, “Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens… will not go unchallenged.” The group claimed responsibility for attacks against Israeli ground forces along the border, asserting that its fighters targeted Israeli positions in Maroun al-Ras, Kfar Kila, and further struck the Yoav military camp in the Golan Heights and a naval base at Haifa.
While there were no immediate reports of casualties from these attacks, Israel has refused to evacuate its border towns and has deployed additional troops to northern areas, citing the need for security.
The mass exodus from Beirut’s southern suburbs has left the area “almost empty,” with many displaced families seeking refuge along the coastline. Humanitarian conditions have deteriorated, with reports indicating that hundreds of thousands of people are in need of shelter and basic necessities.
Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, highlighted the urgency of the situation: “There aren’t enough schools to shelter the hundreds of thousands displaced by recent events. Many are left stranded on the roads.” She noted that a combination of Lebanese residents, Syrian refugees, and Palestinian refugees make up the population affected by the conflict. The Lebanese government has opened shelters and advised people to relocate north; however, many lack transportation.
The renewed violence in the region has rekindled longstanding tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, exacerbating an already precarious situation across the Middle East.
