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| Israeli strikes leave scores dead in heaviest daily toll in Lebanon since Gaza war began | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Lebanon says 100 killed while Israel claims it has hit 300 targets, after thousands told to flee their homes | |
| At least 100 people have been killed and 400 injured in ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting southern Lebanon, the country’s health ministry has said – the heaviest daily toll in nearly a year of cross-border clashes. | |
| “Enemy raids on southern towns and villages since this morning … killed 100 and injured more than 400,” the ministry said, adding that “children, women and paramedics” were among the casualties. | |
| Israel said it had hit 300 targets, in one of the most intense barrages against the militant group Hezbollah since the war in Gaza began in October last year. | Israel said it had hit 300 targets, in one of the most intense barrages against the militant group Hezbollah since the war in Gaza began in October last year. |
| In response, about 35 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards the Safed area, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, with some coming down in open areas close to the community of Ami’ad. | In response, about 35 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards the Safed area, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, with some coming down in open areas close to the community of Ami’ad. |
| Earlier in the day, the IDF had warned Lebanese people living in or near buildings where Hezbollah was hiding weapons to evacuate. Citizens in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, and other areas received text messages and recorded messages asking them to immediately evacuate their residences. | Earlier in the day, the IDF had warned Lebanese people living in or near buildings where Hezbollah was hiding weapons to evacuate. Citizens in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, and other areas received text messages and recorded messages asking them to immediately evacuate their residences. |
| Lebanon’s minister of information, Ziad Makari, said he received a call in which he was asked to evacuate the building he was in. Drones could be heard flying low over Beirut. | Lebanon’s minister of information, Ziad Makari, said he received a call in which he was asked to evacuate the building he was in. Drones could be heard flying low over Beirut. |
| In a televised statement, the Israeli military spokesperson R Adm Daniel Hagari said: “To all the residents of the villages in Lebanon, in the near future we will strike terror targets in Lebanon. We call on everyone who is near properties or inside homes where Hezbollah is hiding weapons, we call on you to distance yourselves from them immediately. This is for your safety and protection.” | In a televised statement, the Israeli military spokesperson R Adm Daniel Hagari said: “To all the residents of the villages in Lebanon, in the near future we will strike terror targets in Lebanon. We call on everyone who is near properties or inside homes where Hezbollah is hiding weapons, we call on you to distance yourselves from them immediately. This is for your safety and protection.” |
| Hagari said the warning was being distributed in Arabic on all networks and platforms in Lebanon. It was not immediately clear how many people would be affected by the Israeli evacuation warnings. Communities on both sides of the border have largely fled because of the near-daily exchanges of fire. | Hagari said the warning was being distributed in Arabic on all networks and platforms in Lebanon. It was not immediately clear how many people would be affected by the Israeli evacuation warnings. Communities on both sides of the border have largely fled because of the near-daily exchanges of fire. |
| Footage circulating on social media appeared to show people fleeing areas in the south of Lebanon that were being hit by Israel. | Footage circulating on social media appeared to show people fleeing areas in the south of Lebanon that were being hit by Israel. |
| Israeli strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah simultaneously targeted Lebanon’s south, eastern Bekaa valley and northern regions near Syria. | Israeli strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah simultaneously targeted Lebanon’s south, eastern Bekaa valley and northern regions near Syria. |
| Hagari, when asked by reporters about a possible Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon, said “we will do whatever is needed” to return evacuated residents of northern Israel to their homes safely, a priority for the Israeli government. | Hagari, when asked by reporters about a possible Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon, said “we will do whatever is needed” to return evacuated residents of northern Israel to their homes safely, a priority for the Israeli government. |
| The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said that “in the days ahead the public will need to show calm, discipline and full compliance with Home Front Command instructions”. | The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said that “in the days ahead the public will need to show calm, discipline and full compliance with Home Front Command instructions”. |
| “We are intensifying our strikes in Lebanon,” he added. “This series of actions will continue until we achieve our goals, bringing the residents of the north back to their homes safely. This success also depends on the proper conduct of the home front.” | “We are intensifying our strikes in Lebanon,” he added. “This series of actions will continue until we achieve our goals, bringing the residents of the north back to their homes safely. This success also depends on the proper conduct of the home front.” |
| About 60,000 calls were made across all of Lebanon, with a pre-recorded message instructing people to evacuate their homes, said Imad Kreidieh, the chair of Ogero, which operates Lebanon’s telecommunications infrastructure. | About 60,000 calls were made across all of Lebanon, with a pre-recorded message instructing people to evacuate their homes, said Imad Kreidieh, the chair of Ogero, which operates Lebanon’s telecommunications infrastructure. |
| “What the Israelis are doing is sending a bunch of automated voice recordings through international carriers – the system doesn’t recognise them as Israeli calls, most of them are generated as calls coming from a friendly country,” Kreidieh told the Guardian. | “What the Israelis are doing is sending a bunch of automated voice recordings through international carriers – the system doesn’t recognise them as Israeli calls, most of them are generated as calls coming from a friendly country,” Kreidieh told the Guardian. |
| He said it was an “old technique” used also by Israel during its July 2006 war with Hezbollah. Ogero had “located the source of the calls and will stop it”, Kreidieh said. | He said it was an “old technique” used also by Israel during its July 2006 war with Hezbollah. Ogero had “located the source of the calls and will stop it”, Kreidieh said. |
| Makari, the information minister, said: “The method is not strange to the Israeli enemy, which uses all means in its psychological warfare … we call to not lend the matter more [attention] than it deserves.” | Makari, the information minister, said: “The method is not strange to the Israeli enemy, which uses all means in its psychological warfare … we call to not lend the matter more [attention] than it deserves.” |
| Since the beginning of the war between Hamas and Israel, the Israeli military and Hezbollah have managed to avoid an all-out war, engaging instead in a limited conflict of attrition. | Since the beginning of the war between Hamas and Israel, the Israeli military and Hezbollah have managed to avoid an all-out war, engaging instead in a limited conflict of attrition. |
| However, escalating strikes and counterstrikes have raised fears of an all-out conflict. Last week, walkie-talkies and pagers bought by Hezbollah for its members exploded, killing 42 people and wounding more than 3,000, and on Friday an Israeli strike on a Beirut suburb killed a top Hezbollah military commander and more than a dozen fighters, as well as dozens of civilians, including children. | However, escalating strikes and counterstrikes have raised fears of an all-out conflict. Last week, walkie-talkies and pagers bought by Hezbollah for its members exploded, killing 42 people and wounding more than 3,000, and on Friday an Israeli strike on a Beirut suburb killed a top Hezbollah military commander and more than a dozen fighters, as well as dozens of civilians, including children. |
| On Sunday, Hezbollah launched about 150 rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for Friday’s strike. | On Sunday, Hezbollah launched about 150 rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for Friday’s strike. |
| Hezbollah has vowed to continue its strikes in solidarity with the Palestinians and Hamas, a fellow Iran-backed militant group, while Israel says it is committed to returning calm to the border. | Hezbollah has vowed to continue its strikes in solidarity with the Palestinians and Hamas, a fellow Iran-backed militant group, while Israel says it is committed to returning calm to the border. |
| Lebanon’s state-run national news agency said the strikes on Monday hit a forested area in the central province of Byblos, about 81 miles (130km) north of the Israeli-Lebanese border, for the first time since the exchanges began in October. No injuries were reported there. | Lebanon’s state-run national news agency said the strikes on Monday hit a forested area in the central province of Byblos, about 81 miles (130km) north of the Israeli-Lebanese border, for the first time since the exchanges began in October. No injuries were reported there. |
| Israel also bombed targets in the north-eastern Baalbek and Hermel regions, where a shepherd was killed and two family members were wounded, according to the news agency. It said 17 people were wounded in the strikes. | Israel also bombed targets in the north-eastern Baalbek and Hermel regions, where a shepherd was killed and two family members were wounded, according to the news agency. It said 17 people were wounded in the strikes. |
| Israel has accused Hezbollah of transforming entire communities in the south into militant bases, with hidden rocket launchers and other infrastructure. That could lead it to wage an especially heavy bombing campaign, even if no ground forces move in. | Israel has accused Hezbollah of transforming entire communities in the south into militant bases, with hidden rocket launchers and other infrastructure. That could lead it to wage an especially heavy bombing campaign, even if no ground forces move in. |
| Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report | Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report |