By Nadine Osman
London (The Muslim News): Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 1,673 people in Lebanon, a staggering increase since the outbreak of hostilities with Hezbollah [Hizbullah] and other Palestinian factions. Among the victims are 104 children and 194 women, with over 8,600 individuals reported injured, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Since Saturday, Israeli airstrikes have intensified to levels not seen since the 2006 Lebanon War, with Beirut’s sout love hern suburb and several towns in southern Lebanon subjected to repeated bombardments.
On Sunday, a devastating airstrike targeting a residential home in Ain, a town in the Bekaa Valley of northeastern Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people. The Lebanese National News Agency reported the recovery of six bodies from the rubble, and ongoing rescue operations are still searching for five more victims. This attack is just one in a series of airstrikes that have intensified since October 8, 2023. Furthermore, Israeli fighter jets targeted a civil defence centre operated by the Islamic Scout Association in Tayr Debba, claiming at least four additional lives.
The Israeli military has broadened its assault, launching fresh airstrikes across several locations, including the southern suburb of Beirut and towns such as Tyre, Kfarchouba, and Kfar Kila. These bombardments have wrought significant destruction, with widespread fires and damage reported throughout the affected areas.
Notably, Israeli forces also claimed to have intercepted a missile fired from Yemen towards central Israel, a development that follows earlier strikes by the Yemeni Houthi group targeting Israeli sites.
In the aftermath of Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination during an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared a three-day national mourning period. Flags will be lowered at half-mast in government buildings, and public offices will close on the day of Nasrallah’s yet-to-be-announced funeral.
Speaking at an emergency cabinet meeting that he convened upon returning from the UN General Assembly in New York, Mikati called for the Lebanese people to “stand united in the face of aggression” as the country remains on the brink of a humanitarian and economic crisis.
US President Joe Biden characterised the assassination as “a measure of justice for his many victims,” while directing the Pentagon to enhance America’s defence posture in the region. He reaffirmed the US’s commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Iranian-backed groups.
Conversely, Russia on Saturday strongly condemned the assassination of Hezbollah leader by Israel, warning of “dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East.” The Foreign Ministry stated, “We strongly condemn another political assassination committed by Israel. This military action is fraught with even greater dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East. Israel bears full responsibility for the subsequent escalation.” It urged Israel to immediately cease hostilities, highlighting the need for a political and diplomatic resolution.
Israeli media have reported that the military used 85 so-called “bunker-buster” bombs in the operation that led to Nasrallah’s death. Weighing between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds, these ammunitions raise serious concerns regarding their potential for indiscriminate casualties, particularly in densely populated civilian areas.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Reports indicate that at least 41,586 Palestinians have lost their lives, including 16,795 children and 11,378 women, while 96,210 people have sustained injuries since the conflict began. In the most recent 24-hour period, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported a further 52 deaths, including three Palestinians killed in an Israeli bombing of a residential apartment near the Al-Sha’biya junction in central Gaza City.
[Photo: Smoke rises over destruction around building where Hezbollah’s Sec Gen Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated by Israeli army’s airstrikes, carried out by F-35 fighter jets, in Dahieh, Beirut, Lebanon on 29 09, 2024. Photojournalist: Houssam Shbaro/AA]
