Lebanese Government Reports 558 Dead, Including Women and Children, in Israeli Airstrikes
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes on the country on Monday has risen to 558.
According to the ministry, among the 558 confirmed dead, at least 94 were women, and over 50 were children. Health Minister Firass Abiad stated that 1,835 people have been wounded since the strikes began early Monday, with the injured taken to 54 hospitals across Lebanon.
Minister Abiad also noted that four paramedics were killed, and 16 paramedics and firefighters were among the wounded.
Lebanese officials have described the airstrikes as the deadliest since the 2006 conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. Thousands of Lebanese have fled the south, causing massive traffic jams on the main highway from the southern port city of Sidon toward Beirut in the largest exodus since 2006, according to the Associated Press.
Among the victims was a journalist from the pan-Arab network Al-Mayadeen, 22-year-old Hadi Al-Sayyed, who died after being wounded in the airstrikes on Monday. Al-Sayyed, who worked for Al-Mayadeen’s online section, was at his home in the town of Burj Rahhal, near Tyre, when the strike occurred. He is the third journalist from the network to be killed in the ongoing conflict.
In response to the escalating situation, the Israeli government declared a nationwide state of emergency until September 30, a decision reached by the cabinet on Monday night due to fears of increased Hezbollah rocket fire toward Israel.
Israel’s military announced that it is conducting extensive airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah’s infrastructure. The strikes have triggered secondary explosions, which the military claims are due to weapons stored inside the targeted buildings. Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged residents of unspecified “Lebanese villages” to evacuate.
The latest wave of airstrikes follows reports of 100 rockets fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory since midnight, according to Israeli military sources.
