In a sharp escalation of tensions, Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes across Lebanon on Tuesday, including in the capital’s southern suburb of Ghobeiry, vowing to continue its offensive against Hezbollah. With total deaths now exceeding 500, thousands of civilians are fleeing southern Lebanon, adding to the region’s turmoil. Airlines have begun canceling flights to Beirut amid rising fears of a broader conflict. Over 1,500 Hezbollah-related targets were reportedly struck in southern Lebanon and other parts of the country, with Israel claiming that the group had suffered heavy losses to its leadership, fighters, and operational capacity.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported at least 569 deaths, including 50 children, 94 women, and nine paramedics. The count does not distinguish between civilians and militants, signaling the widespread devastation. On Tuesday alone, six people were killed in the Ghobeiry neighborhood due to Israeli airstrikes. According to the Israeli military, the strikes specifically targeted Ibrahim Qubaisi, a senior Hezbollah commander responsible for the group’s missile operations. While Hezbollah did not confirm his death, the attack marks a significant blow to the group’s military leadership.
Amid these strikes, Hezbollah retaliated by launching 300 projectiles into northern Israel. The group, backed by Iran, claimed to have used new long-range Fadi missiles, striking deep into Israeli territory, including an explosives factory in Zichron, located nearly 40 miles from the border. These attacks follow days of confusion and losses among Hezbollah’s ranks, with some top leaders targeted in precision strikes, leaving gaps in the organization’s leadership and planning efforts.
The escalation occurs as global diplomatic efforts intensify. In New York, leaders gathered for the U.N. General Assembly. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed his country’s support for Hezbollah, emphasizing that as long as Israel continues to receive U.S. military aid, Iran will back Hezbollah’s ability to defend itself. He also floated the idea of mutual disarmament, stating that Iran would cease supplying arms if Israel did the same.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi emphasized that Israeli forces would continue to operate with full force and accelerate offensive actions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, reiterating that Israel’s war is with Hezbollah, not the Lebanese people. Netanyahu accused Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah of driving Lebanon to the brink of catastrophe, placing blame for the conflict squarely on the group’s leadership.
The escalating conflict has led to growing concerns that the situation could spiral into a full-blown war. Firas Maksad, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, warned that the current clashes could lead to an all-out conflict, with no clear boundaries or limits, potentially resulting in unprecedented destruction.
Meanwhile, the conflict has caused widespread panic and displacement. Major airlines have paused or canceled flights to Beirut, leaving the city increasingly isolated. Civilians are fleeing southern Lebanon in large numbers, with cars packed with belongings and traffic jams forming on the highways leading to Beirut. Many have turned to online networks like WhatsApp to find shelter as displacement continues to grow.
Alaa Bou-Ghannam, an ophthalmologist at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, described a mounting sense of fear and instability. The hospital, one of the city’s largest, is bracing for an influx of patients from southern Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes intensify. The medical center has already been treating victims of earlier explosions, many of whom suffered permanent vision loss.
Among the victims of the strikes were two employees of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Dina Darwiche and her young son were killed when an Israeli missile struck their home in eastern Lebanon, while another UNHCR worker, Ali Basma, died in Tyre. The loss of humanitarian workers has highlighted the conflict’s indiscriminate toll on both civilians and aid workers.
Tyre, a southern Lebanese city heavily hit by Israeli strikes, has seen a mass exodus, with Mayor Hasan Dbouk estimating that 70% of the city’s population has fled. The remaining residents are mostly elderly individuals reluctant to leave their homes. Dbouk described the harrowing journey many families faced, with some taking up to 16 hours to reach Beirut, a trip that usually takes about an hour.
In northern Lebanon, near the Syrian border, families displaced by the fighting arrived in the Akkar district after long, grueling journeys. Local official Ahmad Amir noted that many of these families were sick, disoriented, and exhausted after spending over 12 hours on the road.
Adding to Hezbollah’s operational difficulties, many of the group’s logistics personnel were injured in recent attacks, leaving them unable to provide crucial support to displaced families. A Hezbollah insider revealed that the shortage of experienced operatives has compounded the group’s ability to manage the mounting crisis, further destabilizing the region.
As the situation deteriorates, Lebanon finds itself at a breaking point, with civilians caught in the crossfire of a relentless conflict. With Israel continuing its offensive and Hezbollah determined to strike back, the region teeters on the edge of a larger, more devastating war.
Photo: @AsafGivoli
