Israel launched an all-out air offensive on the terrorist group Hezbollah on Monday, in what Lebanese officials described as the deadliest day for the country in almost two decades, resulting in nearly 500 deaths and over 1,500 injuries. This came as thousands of people fled southern Lebanon in search of shelter.
Cars congested the roads in an attempt to flee the airstrikes as fighter jets struck locations concealing rockets, missiles, and drones. This recent extensive assault on 300 Hezbollah sites by the Israel Defense Forces comes after the country's military vowed to take stronger measures against the Iran-backed militant group, which has been escalating its attacks on the Jewish state.
Lebanon Bombarded
The Lebanese government said that over 1,600 people were injured during Monday's airstrikes alone, with "thousands" displaced from their homes and seeking refuge in makeshift shelters in Beirut, which is also under attack.
The IDF said that its objective was to dismantle Hezbollah's ability to launch attacks on Israel by targeting the group's leaders and missile supplies. The ultimate aim is to enable thousands of evacuated Israelis to return to their homes in the northern region after months of demands from those evacuees.
Monday's strike marked the first instance in the ongoing conflict, which began when Hezbollah began firing at Israel on October 8, where the Israeli military warned residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate due to "extensive strikes."
In retaliation for the missiles, Hezbollah launched a series of long-range projectiles from Lebanon—marking another first in the ongoing conflict, according to the Israeli military. The militant group also targeted northern Israel with dozens of medium-range rockets.
The IDF said that its airstrikes were specifically designed to eliminate Hezbollah rocket facilities after the group's assault on Sunday, which involved around 150 rockets, missiles, and drones fired at Israel.
"If you are in a building housing weapons for Hezbollah, move away from the village until further notice," read Israel's warning message on Monday to Lebanon's civilians, according to Lebanese media.
Instead of being a preemptive strike like earlier assaults on Hezbollah launch sites, an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War indicated that the main objective of Monday's attack was to "weaken Hezbollah forces."
An Israeli official said that the attacks would persist unless Hezbollah consents to a cease-fire.
Attack to Continue
Lebanon's neighboring countries called for restraint, while Egypt suspended flights to and from Beirut starting Tuesday. The FCDO continues to advise British citizens in Lebanon to leave while flights are still available, though it has not issued an evacuation order.
Around 500,000 Israeli children were advised to stay home from school in the northern region, and ministers placed the entire nation on alert.
Images showed damage to residential buildings in northern Israel where the Iron Dome failed to intercept stray rockets launched from Lebanon.
Israel claimed that its strikes targeted 800 terror sites. However, by the evening, the Lebanese health ministry reported at least 492 fatalities, including 35 children.
Last week, the group suffered major losses among its leadership and rank-and-file members when thousands of booby-trapped pagers and radios exploded during two days of attacks that shocked the world.
In the wake of Monday's airstrikes, the US announced it would deploy additional troops to the Middle East and urged Americans to leave Lebanon.
The number of troops has not been specified but will add to the 40,000 already in the region, according to the Pentagon, as the threat of war looms over the Middle East.
