Lebanese Media Reports Over 300 Casualties as Israel Launches Largest Concentrated Blow Against Hezbollah
Israel's defense minister called the attack the largest concentrated blow Hezbollah has suffered since Operation Beepers, as Lebanon's prime minister appealed to the country's friends to help stop the strikes by all available means.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Even as a ceasefire between Iran and the United States took hold elsewhere, Lebanon burned. On Wednesday, Israeli warplanes launched a sweeping wave of simultaneous strikes across Lebanon, killing more than 300 people according to Lebanese media citing official sources, and wounding hundreds more.
Lebanon's health ministry described the assault as "a very serious escalation," stating that Israeli warplanes launched simultaneous airstrikes on several Lebanese areas, resulting in, in an initial count, dozens of killed and hundreds of wounded. The ministry called on citizens to reduce traffic congestion, particularly in the neighborhoods of the capital, to allow priority access for rescue and ambulance services.
Israel claims largest blow to Hezbollah since Operation Beepers
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the operation in a video statement, saying the Israeli military had carried out a surprise strike targeting hundreds of Hezbollah members at command centers across Lebanon. "The IDF carried out a surprise strike on hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists at command centers across Lebanon. This is the largest concentrated blow Hezbollah has suffered since Operation Beepers," Katz said, referring to the major 2024 operation against Hezbollah involving pager bombs. The Israeli military said it struck more than 100 Hezbollah positions in the operation.
Lebanon's prime minister appeals for international help
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam issued an urgent appeal to the international community on Wednesday, calling on Lebanon's friends to help bring the Israeli attacks to an end. In a statement, Salam noted that while Beirut had welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and had intensified its own efforts to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel had continued to escalate. "All of Lebanon's friends are called upon to help us stop these attacks by all available means," he said.