Lebanon experienced another day of violence as continuous Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 105 people and injuries to 359 more, according to health officials.
A specific attack in Ain al-Delb, located near Sidon in the south, destroyed two residential buildings, claiming the lives of 32 people, as reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry. Many of the victims were displaced families taking shelter in the area. Various Lebanese politicians referred to the incident as a “massacre.”
Hezbollah positions or residential areas?
While Israel asserted that it targeted numerous Hezbollah positions, Lebanese authorities noted that the strikes impacted residential areas and buildings across southern Lebanon, including the Bekaa Valley, Baalbek-Hermel governorate, and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In the early hours of Monday, local media reported an Israeli airstrike in the Kola bridge area in central Beirut. This marked Israel’s first attack within the city limits since hostilities began last year, likely representing a significant escalation in the conflict.
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Beirut under Israeli airstrikes
The assault on Beirut suggests that the capital, which had previously been considered relatively safe from Israeli attacks, is now also vulnerable, similar to many other regions of the country. At least three fatalities were reported from this bombing, according to Lebanese news outlets.
This attack followed closely on the heels of Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, which occurred during a major series of airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut that destroyed several buildings. Additionally, the Israeli military killed senior Hezbollah political official Sheikh Nabil Kaouk the previous day.
Hezbollah succession plan
Hezbollah has yet to announce who will succeed its fallen leader, who was viewed as a crucial figure in the group’s past confrontations with Israel, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000.
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