Israel has intensified its airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza, resulting in significant casualties. On Friday, Israeli airstrikes targeted Lebanon’s northeastern farming villages, killing at least 52 people and injuring many more. In Gaza, hospital officials reported that Palestinians recovered the bodies of 25 people who died in strikes that began Thursday.
This escalation comes amid U.S. President Joe Biden’s efforts to broker a temporary ceasefire, though so far, no agreement has been reached. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been particularly destructive in Lebanon, where strikes are moving beyond small border villages to more populated areas like Baalbek.
In Israel, attacks from Lebanon have also caused injuries. In the town of Tira, seven people were wounded when projectiles from Lebanon landed, with two people in moderate condition. The attacks are part of a broader conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese group.
Israel’s expanded strikes on Lebanon have caused significant displacement, with tens of thousands fleeing Baalbek and surrounding villages following Israel’s evacuation warnings. Israel’s increased military actions have left Lebanese towns like Younine and Amhaz heavily bombarded, resulting in further fatalities and injuries.
Israel has also carried out strikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, targeting Hezbollah’s facilities. The strikes caused structural damage and widespread panic, though no casualties were immediately reported. The ongoing conflict has severely affected Lebanese infrastructure and displaced millions.
Israel Intensifies Airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza Amid Escalating Conflict and Rising Casualties
Since fighting resumed in 2023, the conflict has claimed over 2,897 lives and injured more than 13,150 people in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. UN agencies estimate that over a million people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the conflict.
In Gaza, Israel continued airstrikes Friday, targeting the Nuseirat refugee camp and other locations. The strikes reportedly killed at least 25 Palestinians, including children. The Israeli army stated that it aimed to target Hamas infrastructure and militants, although many civilians were affected.
A senior Hamas official, Izz al-Din Kassab, and his assistant were also reportedly killed in an airstrike in Khan Younis. Hamas confirmed Kassab’s death and accused Israel of escalating the situation in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions are worsening.
Diplomatic efforts by the U.S. have so far failed to secure a ceasefire, with Hamas rejecting Israel’s proposal for a temporary pause in the conflict. Hamas instead demands a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Israel has not commented on these demands, leaving the likelihood of an imminent ceasefire uncertain. Hamas reiterated its stance, expressing that Israel’s offer does not address Palestinians’ long-term needs for security, stability, and reconstruction.
Since the conflict’s resurgence on October 7, 2023, following an attack by Hamas in Israel, the violence has escalated significantly. Over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza according to health officials, who report that many of the deceased are women and children.
Israel, in turn, has suffered hundreds of casualties since Hamas’s initial attack. The situation remains volatile, with both sides continuing hostilities amid ongoing diplomatic stalemates.
