Lebanon’s health ministry says at least 356 people have been killed and more than 1,200 wounded in Israeli strikes today – the deadliest day of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict since 2006.
Lebanon’s health minister, Dr Firass Abiad, says tens of thousands of people have been fleeing their homes in the south of the country, adding that “the main aim of these attacks was to instigate this exodus of civilians from the target areas.”
“We are in a new stage of war, initially it was targeted attacks but now it’s indiscriminate,” the Minister said.
Israel says it is “broadening” its strikes against Hezbollah as citizens in southern Lebanon have received phone messages warning them to leave places used by the Iran-backed group.
Israel’s military is preparing for the next stage of its operation in Lebanon, its chief of staff says.
“Essentially, we are targeting combat infrastructure that Hezbollah has been building for the past 20 years. This is very significant. We are striking targets and preparing for the next phases,” Herzi Halevi said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel’s air strikes have destroyed tens of thousands of Hezbollah rockets today across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in the east.
Lebanon’s prime minister says Israel’s actions amount to “a war of extermination”, while Israel’s defense minister says strikes will continue “until we achieve our goals – to return the residents of the north safely to their homes”.
