In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, the Israeli military carried out more than 300 airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Monday, marking the heaviest bombardment since the current conflict began on October 8. The strikes targeted numerous regions and valleys, with fighter jets hitting areas between the towns of Ansar and Zrariyeh in Nabatieh, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).
Other locations, including Wa’ba, Jibchit, Sharqia, and Al-Namiriyeh, were also struck, along with the outskirts of several southern towns like Kfar Tebnit, Nabatiyeh El Faouqa, and Deir El Zahrani. The bombardment extended to areas surrounding the Kfar Roummane-Midneh highway and the edges of the Litani River, forcing hundreds of residents from Tyre and neighboring areas to flee toward the city of Sidon.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the airstrikes, accusing Israel of deliberately seeking to destroy villages and eradicating green spaces in the region. “The Israeli aggression is a scheme aimed at destroying Lebanese villages, towns and eradicating all green spaces,” he stated.
Israeli Military Justification and Warnings
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari defended the strikes, stating they were aimed at preventing Hezbollah’s plans to attack Israeli civilians. Hagari warned that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) may target villages located up to 80 kilometers from the Lebanese border in future operations. “In the near future, we will strike hostile targets in Lebanon to eliminate this threat,” he said at a press briefing.
The Israeli army also issued a warning to civilians living in villages where Hezbollah stores weapons, urging them to evacuate for their safety. “We advise civilians from Lebanese villages located in and next to buildings and areas used by Hezbollah for military purposes to immediately move out of harm’s way for their own safety,” the army said in a statement.
Rising Tensions and Hezbollah Casualties
Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have been steadily rising, particularly after a deadly Israeli airstrike last Friday killed at least 45 people, including women and children, in Beirut’s southern suburb. Hezbollah confirmed that 16 of its members, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and top commander Ahmed Wahbi, were among those killed in the strike.
The attack followed two waves of explosions from wireless communication devices earlier in the week, which killed at least 37 people and injured over 3,000 across Lebanon. While Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have blamed Israel for the explosions, Tel Aviv has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
Background of the Conflict
The latest escalation comes as part of a broader conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has intensified since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza. The war, triggered by a Hamas cross-border attack on October 7 last year, has claimed more than 41,400 lives, predominantly women and children. The cross-border warfare between Hezbollah and Israel has added another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation in the Middle East.
As both sides engage in increasingly destructive attacks, the situation remains tense, with fears that the conflict could spiral further out of control, dragging more of the region into violence.–News Desk