Israel attacks Lebanon for the second day in a row, the death toll reaches 564

2024-09-25 08:31:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Israel bombed Hezbollah militant targets in Lebanon again on Tuesday, bringing the death toll from airstrikes since Monday to 564 and the number of wounded to 1,835.

In total, Israel said it hit 1,500 targets. Lebanese health officials said 50 children had been killed in the attacks, as well as at least 94 women.

The Israeli military said its strikes on Tuesday hit dozens of Hezbollah targets, among them militants involved in launching rockets into northern Israel.

Israel said one of its strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut killed Ibrahim Muhammad Qubaisi, identified by Israel as a senior Hezbollah military commander who oversaw the group's missile systems.

The United Nations refugee agency said it was "outraged and deeply saddened" by other Israeli attacks that left two of its staff dead.

Meanwhile, according to Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, President Biden administration officials are engaged in talks with allies to help de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We are working in real time here in New York and in the capitals of the world," declared Mr. Finer. "We cannot make public all the details of these sensitive talks, but we want the conflict not to escalate."

Mr. Finer dodged questions about whether the fighting has already turned into open war with Lebanon, which the United States is pressing to avoid as it continues the year-long conflict in Gaza. But he said that a "big war, a wider war" is not in the interest of Israel or Lebanon.

Thousands of people fled southern Lebanon in search of safety, heading for Beirut, in the first influx of this magnitude since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

In Beirut and the coastal city of Sidon, displaced families slept in shelters imported into school buildings. Hotels were filled beyond capacity and room prices went beyond the budget of many families, forcing those who could not find shelter to sleep in cars, parks and along the sea.

Israel's military said it would "do whatever is necessary" to remove Hezbollah from Lebanon's border with Israel. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas began. On Monday, Israel began bombing southern and eastern parts of Lebanon.

"Today's Hezbollah is not the Hezbollah of a week ago. The strikes on the command and control center, on its members, on the weapons - all were very serious strikes," said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Hezbollah fired about 100 rockets at Israel on Tuesday, according to the Israeli military./VOA