Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut suburbs late Sunday as the conflict escalated, with Israel intensifying its attacks on northern Gaza and southern Lebanon. At least 1,400 Lebanese, including civilians, medics, and Hezbollah fighters, have been killed, and 1.2 million people displaced in Lebanon, according to officials.
Israel confirmed targeting Hezbollah, it says has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Palestinians.
An earlier Israeli strike in Qamatiyeh, southeast of Beirut, killed six people, including three children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported over 30 strikes overnight, while Israel claimed about 130 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory.
Beirut residents described the night as terrifying, with one calling it “a night of terror.” In one of the strikes, four women were killed in the coastal village of Jiyyeh, according to locals.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon last week following attacks that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and his top commanders, marking the worst fighting between Israel and Hezbollah since the 2006 war.
The Israeli military has begun setting up a forward operating base near a UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, sparking concerns for the safety of peacekeepers, according to a UN official.
The UN force, UNIFIL, refused Israel’s request to vacate positions ahead of the ground offensive.
