UPDATE: The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the Israeli raids resulted in 182 killed and 727 wounded.
Israeli warplanes launched hundreds of airstrikes across various regions in eastern and southern Lebanon on Monday morning. Hezbollah, in response, announced missile strikes on Haifa and the Galilee.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced on Monday that the Israeli raids resulted in 50 fatalities and more than 300 injuries, including children, women, and paramedics.
Al-Jazeera confirmed that the airstrikes targeted towns including Mays al-Jabal, Aitaroun, Houla, Taybeh, Markaba, Bani Hayyan, Jabal al-Rayhan, the heights of Iqlim al-Tuffah al-Tiri, Bint Jbeil, Hanin, Zawtar, and the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon.
🚨UPDATE: The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the Israeli raids resulted in 100 killed and 400 wounded.
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The raids also reportedly extended to the outskirts of Shaara, Harbata, and Hermel in eastern Lebanon, as well as Shamshtar, Taraya, and Boudai.
The Lebanese National News Agency said that over 80 airstrikes targeted multiple areas in the Nabatieh Governorate.
Israeli jets also launched intensive attacks on regions east of Tyre and a specific raid on the Litani River near Delfa in southern Lebanon.
LEBANESE HEALTH MINISTRY: Israeli raids on southern towns led to the killing of 50 people and the injury of 300, including children, women and paramedics.
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Reconnaissance drones were reported to be flying over the villages of the western and central sectors, extending to the Litani River.
As a precautionary measure, the Lebanese Minister of Education ordered the closure of schools and universities today and tomorrow in the South, the Bekaa, and southern suburbs of Beirut.
Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of two of its fighters in clashes with Israel in southern Lebanon, raising its death toll to 505 since October 8.
‘New Phase’
Meanwhile, the Israeli army stated that it was carrying out extensive strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The Chief of Staff has approved attacks against Hezbollah, and the army claimed to have struck over 300 targets.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant described the current situation as a “new phase in the fighting” in southern Lebanon and urged Israelis to remain calm in the coming days.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoty cited security sources as saying that the air force plans to launch widespread and powerful attacks across Lebanon in the afternoon, which may provoke an escalated response from Hezbollah.
An Israeli military official, quoted by the Associated Press, said that Tel Aviv is focusing on air operations and has no immediate plans for a ground offensive.
LEBANESE HEALTH MINISTRY: 13 people were injured in Israeli raids on the towns of Al-Malikiyah and Jabal Al-Batm in southern Lebanon.
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Barrage of Rockets
Meanwhile, a large barrage of rockets was fired from southern Lebanon towards the Galilee.
Hezbollah announced that it had struck the reserve headquarters of the Northern Corps and the Galilee Division reserve base at Amiad, as well as the Rafael military industries complexes in the Zevulun area north of Haifa, with dozens of missiles. Israeli media reported that rockets fell in the Upper Galilee and Nazareth districts.
The Israeli army reported monitoring the launch of 35 rockets towards Safed and other parts of the Lower Galilee, intercepting some of them.
Air raid sirens were heard in the Golan Heights, Safed, and the vicinity of Nazareth. An Israeli civilian was reportedly injured by rocket fire in the Upper Galilee, according to Israel Hayom.
Hezbollah's rockets fired from south Lebanon made direct impact in the "Kahal" area near Tabariyya, deep in northern Israel.
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The Israeli army said in a statement that five Israelis were injured when a rocket landed near the Golani Junction in the Lower Galilee.
Tzafon Hospital in Tiberias has reportedly begun discharging some patients and relocating others to safer areas following updated Home Front Command directives issued on Sunday.
‘Open Account’
The ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel escalated last week after a series of cyber-terror attacks carried out by Israel across Lebanon, which left 37 dead and thousands of injured.
An airstrike on Friday targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut resulted in 45 deaths, including children, women, and senior Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil, as well as 68 injuries.
Israel’s ‘Magic Act’ – The Dire Consequences of Hezbollah’s ‘Open Account’
On Sunday, Hezbollah launched a massive and long operation, codenamed ‘Open Account’, reaching, with its missiles, military sites in Haifa for the first time since the confrontations began.
The operation resulted in Israeli casualties and significant material damage, according to Israeli media.
Hezbollah stated that this was an initial response to the cyber-terror attacks.
Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, on October 7, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has engaged directly, but relatively in a limited way in the war against the Israeli occupation.
(PC, AJA)
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