Over 500 Killed in Southern Lebanon Amid Escalating Conflict

More than 500 people have been killed in Southern Lebanon as the conflict with Israel intensifies. Stay updated on the rising death toll and the ongoing violence in the region.

A Lebanese security official reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut on Tuesday, with the Israeli military confirming the operation, which followed a similar strike in the same area the previous day.

The security official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, stated, “An Israeli strike hit two floors of a residential building in the Ghobeiri neighborhood.” The Israeli military acknowledged the strike on the Lebanese capital but did not provide additional details at that time. “The IDF conducted a targeted strike in Beirut. Further information will be provided,” the military announced.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, at least 558 individuals have lost their lives in Southern Lebanon, including 50 children and 94 women. The World Health Organization reported that four healthcare workers were killed and 16 paramedics sustained injuries.

An AFP photographer present at the strike site noted that the attack had destroyed two floors of a building in a densely populated residential area, causing damage to nearby vehicles as well. On Monday, Israel had also declared a “targeted strike” in Beirut.

Hezbollah confirmed that Ali Karake, its third-in-command, was unharmed and had relocated to a safe location after a source close to the group informed AFP that the strike was aimed at him. Since the onset of the Gaza conflict last October, Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in nearly daily cross-border exchanges of fire.

However, on Monday, Israel executed extensive strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, resulting in over 550 fatalities, marking the deadliest single-day toll since the onset of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. These attacks followed a series of coordinated explosions involving communication devices that resulted in 39 deaths and thousands of injuries the previous week. This was succeeded by a lethal strike on Friday in southern Beirut, which claimed the life of prominent Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil among others.