Israel-Hamas war: Two-day death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon reaches 558

LEBANESE health authorities on Tuesday (Sept 24) raised the death toll from two days of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah militants to 558. Palestinian officials in Gaza, meanwhile, said new Israeli strike killed at least seven people in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Israel’s military says it will do “whatever is necessary” to push Hezbollah away from Lebanon’s border with Israel. Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since the Israel-Hamas war began. On Monday (Sept 23), Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing nearly 500 people and wounding more than 1,600 others.

Thousands of people fled southern Lebanon, jamming the main highway to Beirut in the biggest exodus since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.

It’s a staggering toll for a country still reeling from a deadly attack on communication devices the week before. Lebanon blamed the attacks on Israel, but Israel did not confirm or deny its responsibility.

Hezbollah again launched some 100 projectiles toward Israel on Tuesday, the Israeli military said.

Meanwhile, An Israeli airstrike has hit a building in a southern suburb of Beirut on Tuesday afternoon, a Hezbollah TV station reported. There was no immediate word on any casualties.

Al-Manar TV, which belongs to Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group, reported the airstrike on the suburb of Ghobeiri, without giving any details.

The attack came after a Monday evening airstrike missed Ali Karaki, Hezbollah’s top military commander in south Lebanon, the group said.

An Israeli airstrike on a nearby area on Friday killed 55 people, including top Hezbollah military commander Ibrahim Akil and 15 other Hezbollah members. – AP