Israeli strikes kill 50 children among hundreds of Lebanese in 2 days

Tuesday’s operation, which was intended to eliminate Abu Jawad Haraka, the commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah’s missile unit, resulted in the deaths of two people and a further 11, including Iraqis, sustaining injuries, along with the destruction of part of a six-story residential building

BEIRUT: The Israeli military resumed its attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday, targeting a building in the Ghobeiry area a day after hundreds of airstrikes across various regions in Lebanon killed over 550 people, including 50 children.

Tuesday’s operation, which was intended to eliminate Abu Jawad Haraka, the commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah’s missile unit, resulted in the deaths of two people and a further 11, including Iraqis, sustaining injuries, along with the destruction of part of a six-story residential building.

Israeli army radio announced that the airstrike was carried out by F-35 aircraft.

Images circulated from the site of the attack showed human remains on the vehicles parked in front of the targeted building, along with the significant destruction of property.

Further Israeli assaults targeted paramedics associated with the Islamic Health Organization, linked to Hezbollah in the Nabatieh area, as well as the Sajjad food supply establishment, which is also connected to Hezbollah, in Sarein in the Bekaa region.

Following a day of deadly strikes on southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said that the Israeli military would “accelerate the offensive operation today,” and added that “we should not give Hezbollah a rest.”

Lebanon’s Health Minister Firas Abiad reported that hundreds of Israeli airstrikes across various regions of the country on Monday resulted in 558 fatalities, including 50 children.

It marked the most intense airstrikes against Lebanon since Hezbollah initiated operations on the southern front about a year ago.

A UNICEF official spoke of “children missing under rubble.”

The intensity in the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel escalated last week following explosions that targeted pagers and wireless devices used by Hezbollah members and civilian employees.

Hezbollah accused Israel of carrying out the attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 39 people and injuries to 2,931 others, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

The Israeli airstrikes impacted residential areas in the southern regions up to Mount Hermon, as well as the western Bekaa and a significant portion of the villages and towns in central and eastern Bekaa.

The attacks also affected an area adjacent to the archaeological site in Baalbek.

Displaced people who managed to reach Beirut spread out along the roads with their belongings and at the front of mosques, while the Ministry of Education opened public schools to accommodate them.

The Masnaa Border Crossing witnessed severe traffic congestion due to the significant movement of displaced people from Lebanon to Syria, including both Lebanese citizens and Syrian workers.

Heavy traffic jams meanwhile continued on roads in south Beirut.

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