Israel launches deadly strikes on Lebanon as thousands flee and death toll ‘rises to 492’ including Hamas commander --[Reported by Umva mag]

AT LEAST 490 people have been killed after a day of devastation across Lebanon. Israel launched a wave of deadly strikes on over 1,000 Hezbollah targets earlier today as thousands of civilians were forced to flee the war-torn border. Amr Abdallah Dalsh/ReutersThousands of civilians escaping their homes earlier today after begin warned of the incoming attacks[/caption] School were shut early as parents rushed to pick up their children after Israel warned of the incoming strikesAFP People entering an art institute in Beirut that has been turned into a shelterAFP Volunteers help an elderly man into the makeshift shelter after he fled his homeAFP Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Marjayoun, near the Lebanon-Israel border Bombs were launched in the south by the Israeli military with 492 killed and over 1,600 injured in the precision assaults, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Thirty five children are also among the dead, the Lebanese government claim. Another of those killed was Hamas field commander Mahmoud Al Nader, the terror group also currently at war with Israel announced. The deaths – which are expected to continue rising – mark Lebanon’s deadliest day in conflict since the end of its civil war in 1990. The United Nations said they are “gravely alarmed” by the civilian casualties. Dramatic footage online showed thousands of civilians escaping their homes and driving towards safety as the bombs started to rain down in the city of Sidon. Schools were closed early with desperate parents collecting their children before making the journey away from the dangerous border. Those fleeing were told to head towards the capital Beirut leaving the main highway into the capital packed with terrified families. Huge traffic jams quickly piled up with the roads at a stand still for miles in several other major cities in the south of Lebanon. Makeshift shelters were set up across several cities to help house those escaping the horrors of the conflict. This is the latest of the IDF’s “widespread” strikes in the south of Lebanon as they hunt down Hezbollah chiefs. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, has backed the attacks as he blasted the Iran-backed militant group saying “whoever hurts us, we will hurt him more”. Despite Israel’s promise to keep up their attacks fresh reports say they are now willing to move towards the negotiating table. They are said to have given Hezbollah a chilling ultimatum vowing to “hit them hard” with continued strikes until they agree to a ceasefire. An Israeli official reportedly told The Times of Israel: “We are going to hit them hard, but we will stop if they decide it’s time to move toward negotiations.” The Middle East continues to teeter on the edge of exploding into a much wider regional conflict with Lebanon’s prime minister accusing Israel of waging “a war of extermination”. Hezbollah has also warned Israel will face an “open-ended battle of reckoning” on the border. This has prompted the US to deploy additional troops out to the Middle East amid the growing fears, say the Pentagon. They are yet to provide any more details on how many or where the troops will be stationed. The US currently has around 40,000 troops in the region. It comes after today’s missile barrage that targeted homes in Lebanon where the IDF say Hezbollah are using to hide. The Israeli Air Force struck more than 300 targets by 3pm this afternoon, the IDF said. IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military was striking “infrastructure that Hezbollah built up for years”. Reuters/Aziz TaherA woman sits on a beach in Lebanon as smoke billows from Israeli strikes[/caption] AFPA traffic jam in Sidon continued late into the night[/caption] @sentdefenderA huge explosion was seen after the IDF launched hundreds of bombs[/caption] They said the other main target was senior Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki who they believe was in one of the homes. It is not yet clear what happened to chief with Hezbollah officials claiming tonight that he is still alive and well. They claim he has been moved to a safe house in Lebanon. Israeli officials warned locals of the “huge attack” before bombs first fell this afternoon. They informed civilians through hacked radio broadcasts, text messages, and phone calls about the strikes – giving them two hours to get away from Iran‘s proxy. Hagari says some civilians in one part of Lebanon are being used as human shields. The text message read, according to local media: “If you are in a building housing weapons for Hezbollah, move away from the village until further notice.” Lebanon’s information minister hit back at the life-saving alerts by labelling them a tactic of “psychological war implemented by the enemy”.

Sep 23, 2024 - 22:14

Israel launches deadly strikes on Lebanon as thousands flee and death toll ‘rises to 492’ including Hamas commander --[Reported by Umva mag]

AT LEAST 490 people have been killed after a day of devastation across Lebanon.

Israel launched a wave of deadly strikes on over 1,000 Hezbollah targets earlier today as thousands of civilians were forced to flee the war-torn border.

a white mercedes has a license plate that says 0 221600

Thousands of civilians escaping their homes earlier today after begin warned of the incoming attacks[/caption]

A man picks up students after some schools closed early, amid fears of escalating war between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Beirut, Lebanon September 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY — School were shut early as parents rushed to pick up their children after Israel warned of the incoming strikes

People who fled their villages in southern Lebanon are received at an art institute transformed to a shelter for persons displaced by conflict, in Beirut on September 23, 2024. Israeli air strikes killed 274 people, including 21 children, in south Lebanon on September 23, the Lebanese health minister said, in by far the deadliest cross-border escalation since war erupted in Gaza on October 7. (Photo by FADEL ITANI / AFP) (Photo by FADEL ITANI/AFP via Getty Images) — People entering an art institute in Beirut that has been turned into a shelter

epa11621206 Volunteers assist an elderly man as people who fled southern Lebanon villages arrive at a makeshift shelter at an educational institution in Beirut, Lebanon, 23 September 2024. Thousands of Lebanese fled southern Lebanon after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning. The Israeli military announced on 23 September that it launched 'extensive' airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Lebanese residents of villages in the Beqaa Valley 'who are inside or near houses where rockets and weapons are stored' have been warned to 'move away immediately! For your safety and protection', the statement added. According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, at least 274 people have been killed and more than 1,000 others injured following continued Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanese towns and villages since 23 September morning. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH — Volunteers help an elderly man into the makeshift shelter after he fled his home

TOPSHOT - Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Marjayoun, near the Lebanon-Israel border, on September 23, 2024. The Israeli military on September 23 told people in Lebanon to move away from Hezbollah targets and vowed to carry out more "extensive and precise" strikes against the Iran-backed group. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP) (Photo by RABIH DAHER/AFP via Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** — Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Marjayoun, near the Lebanon-Israel border

Bombs were launched in the south by the Israeli military with 492 killed and over 1,600 injured in the precision assaults, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Thirty five children are also among the dead, the Lebanese government claim.

Another of those killed was Hamas field commander Mahmoud Al Nader, the terror group also currently at war with Israel announced.

The deaths – which are expected to continue rising – mark Lebanon’s deadliest day in conflict since the end of its civil war in 1990.

The United Nations said they are “gravely alarmed” by the civilian casualties.

Dramatic footage online showed thousands of civilians escaping their homes and driving towards safety as the bombs started to rain down in the city of Sidon.

Schools were closed early with desperate parents collecting their children before making the journey away from the dangerous border.

Those fleeing were told to head towards the capital Beirut leaving the main highway into the capital packed with terrified families.

Huge traffic jams quickly piled up with the roads at a stand still for miles in several other major cities in the south of Lebanon.

Makeshift shelters were set up across several cities to help house those escaping the horrors of the conflict.

This is the latest of the IDF’s “widespread” strikes in the south of Lebanon as they hunt down Hezbollah chiefs.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, has backed the attacks as he blasted the Iran-backed militant group saying “whoever hurts us, we will hurt him more”.

Despite Israel’s promise to keep up their attacks fresh reports say they are now willing to move towards the negotiating table.

They are said to have given Hezbollah a chilling ultimatum vowing to “hit them hard” with continued strikes until they agree to a ceasefire.

An Israeli official reportedly told The Times of Israel: “We are going to hit them hard, but we will stop if they decide it’s time to move toward negotiations.”

The Middle East continues to teeter on the edge of exploding into a much wider regional conflict with Lebanon’s prime minister accusing Israel of waging “a war of extermination”.

Hezbollah has also warned Israel will face an “open-ended battle of reckoning” on the border.

This has prompted the US to deploy additional troops out to the Middle East amid the growing fears, say the Pentagon.

They are yet to provide any more details on how many or where the troops will be stationed.

The US currently has around 40,000 troops in the region.

It comes after today’s missile barrage that targeted homes in Lebanon where the IDF say Hezbollah are using to hide.

The Israeli Air Force struck more than 300 targets by 3pm this afternoon, the IDF said.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military was striking “infrastructure that Hezbollah built up for years”.

A woman sits on a beach in Lebanon as smoke billows from Israeli strikes[/caption]

an aerial view of a busy city street at night

A traffic jam in Sidon continued late into the night[/caption]

a large cloud of smoke is coming out of a building

A huge explosion was seen after the IDF launched hundreds of bombs[/caption]

They said the other main target was senior Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki who they believe was in one of the homes.

It is not yet clear what happened to chief with Hezbollah officials claiming tonight that he is still alive and well.

They claim he has been moved to a safe house in Lebanon.

Israeli officials warned locals of the “huge attack” before bombs first fell this afternoon.

They informed civilians through hacked radio broadcasts, text messages, and phone calls about the strikes – giving them two hours to get away from Iran‘s proxy.

Hagari says some civilians in one part of Lebanon are being used as human shields.

The text message read, according to local media: “If you are in a building housing weapons for Hezbollah, move away from the village until further notice.”

Lebanon’s information minister hit back at the life-saving alerts by labelling them a tactic of “psychological war implemented by the enemy”.

A whopping 160,000 Lebanese have fled their homes on the border since the back and forth conflict began.

Hezbollah have also reportedly killed 26 civilians and 20 soldiers who have tried to escape.

Many of these are believed to include the 80,000 Israelis they forced to head south to escape their rockets.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire across the Israeli-Lebanon border in parallel with the war Israel has waged in Gaza against Hamas after October 7.

Hezbollah has named 497 members killed by Israel during the ongoing fighting since October, including troops lost during this week’s pager and walkie-talkie strike.

The group was said to be “rudderless” and in disarray” after all its fighters killed and losing one means of communication.

Recent attacks have even placed the British military on high alert to launch an emergency evacuation for those trapped in Lebanon with two ships also on standby in the region.

A defence source told The Telegraph the British government “stands prepared” to pull Brits to safety if the situation explodes.

Foreign secretary David Lammy outlined the preparations in an emergency Cobra meeting.

He warned Brits living in Lebanon to leave immediately while “commercial options remain”.

Pager and walkie-talkie strike

The spike in fighting follows the coordinated pager and walkie-talkie blitz last week with Israel sabotaging communications devices.

The attacks were aimed at Hezbollah and hit the terror group’s fighters and civilians in Lebanon and Syria.

The strikes, which hit Tuesday and Wednesday, killed at least 39 and left thousands more injured.

Doctors in Lebanon have been overwhelmed by casualties after two waves of blasts – with many left blinded.

Skilled physicians say they have never had to surgically remove more eyes before as Hezbollah’s boss labelled the strikes a possible “declaration of war” from Israel.

One of those injured was the Iranian envoy to the country who has reportedly lost an eye.

Hezbollah’s boss Hassan Nasrallah said the group intends to seek revenge for the attacks that “crossed over all the red lines” and will not stop until the war in Gaza ends.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said he “condemned the terrorist act of the Zionist regime… as an example of mass murder”.

Israel reportedly planted the explosives inside the pagers in a years’ long operation that involved firms in Taiwan and Hungary.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has ordered all members to stop using any types of communication devices, Reuters reports.

The blasts left a number of fires across the south[/caption]

The moment one missile hits a densely populated residential area in Lebanon[/caption]

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