Lebanon sees deadliest day of conflict since 2006 as Israeli strikes kill 492

MARJAYOUN, Lebanon (AP) — Israeli strikes Monday on Lebanon killed greater than 490 folks, together with greater than 90 ladies and youngsters, Lebanese authorities stated, within the deadliest barrage for the reason that 2006 Israel-Hezbollah warfare. The Israeli army warned residents in southern and jap Lebanon to evacuate forward of its widening air marketing campaign in opposition to Hezbollah.

Hundreds of Lebanese fled the south, and the principle freeway out of the southern port metropolis of Sidon was jammed with automobiles heading towards Beirut within the largest exodus since 2006.

Lebanon’s well being ministry stated the strikes killed 492 folks, together with 35 youngsters and 58 ladies, and wounded 1,645 folks — a staggering one-day toll for a rustic nonetheless reeling from a lethal assault on communication units final week.

In a recorded message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Lebanese civilians to heed Israeli calls to evacuate, saying “take this warning critically.”

“Please get out of hurt’s means now,” Netanyahu stated. “As soon as our operation is completed, you’ll be able to come again safely to your houses.”

Israel’s army spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, stated the military will do “no matter is important” to push Hezbollah from Lebanon’s border with Israel.

Hagari claimed Monday’s widespread airstrikes had inflicted heavy injury on Hezbollah. However he wouldn’t give a timeline for the continued operation and stated Israel was ready to launch a floor invasion of Lebanon if wanted.

“We’re not in search of wars. We need to take down the threats,” he stated. “We are going to do no matter is important to do to realize this mission.”

Hagari stated Hezbollah has launched some 9,000 rockets and drones into Israel since final October, together with 250 on Monday alone.

The army stated Israeli warplanes struck 1,600 Hezbollah targets Monday, destroying cruise missiles, long- and short-range rockets and assault drones. The spokesman stated many have been hidden in residential areas, exhibiting pictures of what he stated have been weapons hid in non-public houses.

“Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon right into a warfare zone,” he informed a information convention.

Israel estimates Hezbollah has some 150,000 rockets and missiles, together with guided missiles and long-range projectiles able to placing anyplace in Israel.

Earlier Monday night, the Israeli army stated it had carried out a focused strike in Beirut. It didn’t give particulars. Lebanon’s state-run Nationwide Information Company reported three missiles hit southern Beirut’s Beir al-Abed neighborhood. Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV stated six folks have been wounded.

Lebanese Well being Minister Firass Abiad stated the sooner strikes hit hospitals, medical facilities and ambulances. The federal government ordered colleges and universities to shut throughout many of the nation and started making ready shelters for the displaced.

Some strikes hit residential areas within the south and the jap Bekaa Valley. One hit a wooded space as distant as Byblos, greater than 80 miles (130 kilometers) from the border north of Beirut.

Israel stated it was increasing the airstrikes to incorporate areas of the valley alongside Lebanon’s jap border with Syria. Hezbollah has lengthy had a longtime presence within the valley, the place the group was based in 1982 with the assistance of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Israel’s army chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, stated Israel was making ready its “subsequent phases” of operations in opposition to Hezbollah, and that its airstrikes have been “proactive,” concentrating on Hezbollah infrastructure constructed over the previous 20 years.

Halevi stated the aim was to permit displaced Israelis to return to their houses in northern Israel.

In the meantime, Hezbollah stated it fired dozens of rockets towards Israel, together with at army bases. It additionally focused for a second day the amenities of the Rafael protection agency, headquartered in Haifa.

The evacuation warnings have been the primary of their type in practically a 12 months of steadily escalating battle and got here after a very heavy trade of fireplace Sunday. Hezbollah launched round 150 rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for strikes that killed a high commander and dozens of fighters.

The rising strikes and counterstrikes have raised fears of all-out warfare, at the same time as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and tries to barter the discharge of scores of hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault. Hezbollah has vowed to proceed its strikes in solidarity with Hamas, a fellow Iran-backed militant group.

A spokeswoman for President Joe Biden stated the administration was involved about what’s occurring between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and insisted that getting a cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza was key to easing tensions within the area.

“It’s in everybody’s curiosity to resolve it shortly and diplomatically,” White Home Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed reporters touring with Biden to New York, the place he’s to ship his last handle to the U.N. Normal Meeting on Tuesday.

A State Division official, who spoke to reporters on situation of anonymity to debate the non-public diplomatic efforts, stated the U.S. and quite a few different international locations have been eager to current an “off-ramp” for each Israel and Hezbollah to cut back tensions and forestall an all-out warfare.

The U.S. has “concrete concepts” for restoring calm that it’ll current to allies and companions at this week’s U.N. Normal Meeting, the official stated. He would not element what the “concrete concepts” have been as a result of he stated they’d but to be offered to allies and companions for what he termed a “stress take a look at” for his or her chance of success.

U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon close to the Israeli border, in the meantime, have stopped their patrols and are staying of their bases “given the quantity of trade of fireplace,” a U.N. spokesman stated. Stéphane Dujarric informed reporters that U.N. Secretary-Normal António Guterres was “alarmed” on the escalating violence and huge variety of civilian casualties reported in Lebanon.

Monday’s loss of life toll far surpassed that of Beirut’s devastating port explosion in 2020, when lots of of tons of ammonium nitrate saved in a warehouse detonated, killing no less than 218 folks and wounding greater than 6,000.

The Lebanese Well being Ministry requested hospitals in southern Lebanon and the jap Bekaa Valley to postpone non-urgent surgical procedures to deal with folks wounded by “Israel’s increasing aggression on Lebanon.”

On Monday, residents obtained textual content messages studying: “If you’re in a constructing housing weapons for Hezbollah, transfer away from the village till additional discover,” Lebanese media reported.

Lebanon’s data minister, Ziad Makary, stated his workplace in Beirut had obtained a recorded message telling folks to go away the constructing.

“This comes within the framework of the psychological warfare applied by the enemy,” Makary stated, and urged folks “to not give the matter extra consideration than it deserves.”

Communities on either side of the border have largely emptied due to the near-daily exchanges of fireplace.

Israel has accused Hezbollah of reworking total communities within the south into militant bases, with hidden rocket launchers and different infrastructure. That might lead the Israeli army to wage an particularly heavy bombing marketing campaign, even when no floor forces transfer in.

An Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb on Friday killed a high Hezbollah army commander and greater than a dozen fighters, in addition to dozens of civilians, together with ladies and youngsters.

Final week, 1000’s of communications units, used primarily by Hezbollah members, exploded in numerous components of Lebanon, killing 39 folks and wounding practically 3,000, lots of them civilians. Lebanon blamed Israel, however Israel didn’t affirm or deny accountability.

Hezbollah started firing into Israel a day after the Oct. 7 assault in what it stated was an try to pin down Israeli forces to assist Palestinian fighters in Gaza. Israel has retaliated with airstrikes, and the battle has steadily intensified.

Hezbollah has stated it’ll sustain assaults till there’s a cease-fire in Gaza, however that seems more and more elusive because the warfare nears its anniversary.

Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and abducting round 250. Some 100 captives are nonetheless held in Gaza, a 3rd of whom are believed to be useless, after many of the relaxation have been launched throughout a weeklong cease-fire in November.

Israel’s offensive has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, in accordance with the Gaza Well being Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and fighters. It says ladies and youngsters make up a little bit over half of these killed. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, with out offering proof.

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Lidman reported from Jerusalem, and Mroue reported from Beirut. Related Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut; Matthew Lee and Aamer Madhani in New York; and Edith Lederer on the United Nations contributed to this report.

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Comply with AP’s warfare protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Bassam Hatoum, Melanie Lidman And Bassem Mroue, The Related Press