More than 250 people killed in Israel’s largest airstrike on Lebanon — Reuters
At least 254 people have been killed and more than 1,100 others wounded in the most extensive Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since the start of the war with Hezbollah.
According to Ukrinform, Reuters reported this.
The strikes took place on the day a ceasefire was agreed between the U.S. and Iran, which, according to representatives from Tehran, was supposed to extend to Lebanon as well.
These attacks raised questions about regional efforts to uphold the ceasefire, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an important condition of his country’s agreement with the U.S.
On Wednesday afternoon, at least five consecutive strikes rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, and the Israeli military announced the largest coordinated strike since the start of the war.
In total, 254 people were killed, and more than 1,100 were injured in Lebanon, the country’s civil defense service reported.
The highest number of casualties was recorded in Beirut, where 91 people were killed.
It was the deadliest day of the war, which broke out on March 2 when Hezbollah fired on Israel in support of Tehran following a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran two days earlier. In response, Israel launched a full-scale air and ground campaign in Lebanon.
“The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a televised address that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire with Iran, and therefore, the Israeli military continues to strike Hezbollah. The White House confirmed this, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance also stating that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon.
At the same time, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the talks, had previously also claimed that the ceasefire was supposed to include Lebanon, Reuters notes.
Hezbollah ceased firing on Israeli targets early on the morning of April 8 after being informed that the group was part of the ceasefire, three Lebanese sources close to the group told Reuters. However, following Israeli strikes, Hezbollah resumed rocket attacks and fired on the kibbutz of Manara early on the morning of April 9.
“This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases,” the group stated.
As reported by Ukrinform, the U.S., Israel, and Iran agreed to a two-week mutual ceasefire and the reopening of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, despite statements by Pakistani mediators to the contrary.
Following this, the Israel Defense Forces launched the largest wave of strikes on Lebanon since the start of the war, attacking over a hundred targets of the Hezbollah terrorist group in 10 minutes.
In response, Iran warned that it would withdraw from the ceasefire reached with the United States if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued. Iran also halted the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, in violation of the terms of the ceasefire with the United States.
Photo: report.az