In a recent escalation, Israeli airstrikes on Sidon, a coastal city in southern Lebanon, resulted in the tragic loss of at least eight lives, with 25 others suffering various injuries, as reported by the nation’s health ministry. Meanwhile, a separate strike in Zawtar al-Sharkiya claimed the lives of three individuals.
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Remarkably, a bomb dropped on Marjayoun yesterday tragically resulted in five fatalities.
In the midst of these aggressions, Israel confirmed that four of its soldiers lost their lives while engaged in combat in southern Lebanon.
Amid the chaos, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching a significant missile barrage targeting the Zevulon military industries site situated north of Haifa, Israel’s northern territory.
According to reports from Israel’s ambulance service, one woman sustained serious injuries during these incidents.
As the situation unfolded, the Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation order, advising residents in 14 southern Lebanese villages to flee towards the northern side of the Awali River.
The relentless bombardment by Israel on both Lebanon and Gaza continues unabated, showing no signs of a pause in the ongoing conflict, particularly after the latest strikes on Iranian positions raised alarm bells about a potential wider war.
Israeli forces claimed to have neutralized 70 Hezbollah fighters and hit 120 targets in southern Lebanon alone, along with conducting “precision strikes” aimed at weapons factories and storage sites within Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut throughout the past day.
In Gaza, the military reported eliminating “40 terrorists” within the same timeframe. Eyewitnesses confirmed that airstrikes were notably hitting the northern parts of the Palestinian territory.
This latest surge in violence coincided with the first anniversary, according to the Hebrew calendar, of Hamas’s lethal cross-border assault that took place on October 7 last year.
Following the previous day’s airstrikes that resulted in casualties among soldiers, Iran declared that it bore a “duty” to react. However, Iranian military leaders asserted that their current priority involves pursuing a ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon.
In a recent statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Israel had accomplished its objectives in the strikes, deeming them “precise and powerful”.
In Gaza, where UN human rights chief Volker Turk describes the situation as reaching its “darkest hour,” Israeli forces resumed a combined air and ground campaign in the northern areas, ostensibly to thwart Hamas’s reorganization efforts.
Meanwhile, plumes of smoke rose ominously over the outskirts of Beirut following the overnight assaults. Reports indicate bombings in southern cities like Tyre and Nabatiyeh persisted, following new evacuation warnings from Israeli forces.
As per an AFP report referencing official figures, the ongoing conflict has claimed at least 1,615 lives in Lebanon since September 23; this statistic likely does not capture the full extent of the devastation due to inconsistencies in data collection.
The toll for Israeli soldiers also continues to rise, with four fatalities reported, increasing the total number of Israeli soldiers lost to 36 since the onset of ground operations began on September 30.
On the international front, major world powers recently called for both Iran and Israel to de-escalate tensions amidst a series of airstrikes targeting Iranian missile and military infrastructures.
A photograph taken from Tyre in southern Lebanon captured smoke surging from a site impacted by an Israeli airstrike aimed at a nearby village.
In response to the Israeli airstrikes, Iran downplayed the developments, asserting that only a handful of radar installations were impacted. The United States, in turn, cautioned Tehran against any retaliatory actions.
Today, Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, shared via social media that the airstrike “should neither be exaggerated nor minimized”, urging a show of strength from the Iranian people and youth against Israel’s actions.
Earlier today, military officials from Iran emphasized the importance of establishing a durable ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon while reserving the right to respond at an appropriate juncture.
The Israeli opposition, however, amplified calls for more aggressive action. Far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir labeled the strikes an “opening blow,” while opposition leader Yair Lapid argued that Israel should have extracted a heavier toll from Iran.
Israel contended that its strikes were a justified response to a significant Iranian missile assault on October 1, where around 200 missiles were launched—marking only the second instance of a direct Iranian attack on Israeli soil.
Despite most missiles being intercepted, the attack resulted in a loss of life. This latest round of territorial strikes marks the first overt Israeli military engagement against Iran. Past operations widely attributed to Israel had not received formal acknowledgment.
These Israeli military operations drew condemnation from many of Iran’s neighboring countries, as voices internationally urged restraint from both sides.
U.S. officials clarified that there had been no direct military involvement from American forces in the Israeli actions, describing them as acts of self-defense.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
