Israel launched airstrikes on hundreds of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Monday, September 23rd, in what Lebanese health authorities reported as causing nearly 300 deaths, marking the deadliest day in the death toll between Hezbollah and Israel in nearly a year of conflict.
This latest escalation between Israel and Lebanon is the most intense cross-border exchange of fire since the outbreak of hostilities. Israel warned civilians to evacuate areas where armed groups store weapons, while Hezbollah retaliated by firing rockets towards Israel.
After almost a year of ongoing conflict with Hamas, Israel shifted its focus to the northern border. Last year on October 7th, armed militants associated with Hamas attacked Israel, leading to a war with Israel in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza under Hamas control. The Iran-backed Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel from Lebanon the following day in support of their ally Hamas. The Israel-Lebanon border conflict has rapidly intensified over the past week.
The Israeli military announced airstrikes on approximately 800 Hezbollah weapon bases on Monday, spanning across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley in the east, and northern areas near Syria.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated in a video from his office, “The operation will continue until we achieve our goals and safely allow residents of the north to return home.”
He emphasized, “This is a time for Israeli citizens to remain calm.”
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching dozens of rockets into Israel, including targeting a military outpost in Galilee, as well as two consecutive days of attacks on the Rafael defense company facility located in Haifa.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that the Israeli attacks on Monday resulted in at least 274 deaths and 1,024 injuries.
Israeli Navy Brigadier General Daniel Hagari stated in a televised address that houses in southern Lebanon harboring Hezbollah weapons were hit by explosions. “Every house we targeted had weapons inside. Rockets, missiles, drones – all meant to kill Israeli civilians.”
According to Israeli emergency medical services, a new round of rocket attacks by Hezbollah left one person lightly injured.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee had previously warned of airstrikes on houses in Lebanon suspected of hiding Hezbollah weapons.
The airstrikes have intensified pressure on Hezbollah, with the organization experiencing a series of attacks last week, leading to explosions of thousands of pagers and radios used by its members. Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah described it as an unprecedented event in the organization’s history.
On Friday, September 20th, Israel carried out significant strikes in southern Beirut. Hezbollah reported that 16 of its members, including senior leaders Ibrahim Aqil and commander Ahmed Wahbi, were killed in the airstrikes launched by Israel that day.
Hagari reiterated the warning on Monday, urging residents of Lebanon to immediately evacuate areas where Hezbollah stores weapons, including areas in the valleys. These warnings indicate that some residents may be living inside or near targeted buildings without realizing the risk.
Imad Kreidieh, head of Lebanon’s telecommunications company Ogero, told Reuters that over 80,000 automatic calls were detected online instructing people to evacuate their areas, but not all calls received responses.
Evacuation calls reached as far as Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. However, Kreidieh described these calls as “psychological warfare aimed at causing chaos and unrest.”
When asked if Israel might launch a ground invasion into Lebanon, Hagari previously stated, “We will take all necessary measures” to ensure the safe return of residents in northern Israel, which is the top priority for the Israeli government in this war.
Since Hezbollah began launching cross-border attacks on Israel on October 8th last year, tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border have been forced to flee their homes.
(This article references reports from Reuters and The Associated Press)