Lebanon's death count rises as Israeli strikes kill 492; Netanyahu says 'war not with citizens, but Hezbollah'

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese population to evacuate and "get out of harm's way". The Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon on Monday killed 492 people, including women and children.

Israel-Hezbollah conflict: In the deadliest day of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict since the 2006 war, the Israeli airstrikes killed 492 people, including more than 90 women and children, Lebanese authorities said. The Israeli military had warned the residents in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of its widening air attacks on Hezbollah, a militant group in the country.

Thousands of Lebanese fled the south, and the main highway out of the southern port city of Sidon was jammed with cars heading toward Beirut.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the strikes claimed the lives of 492 people, which also included 35 children and 58 women, and left 1,645 people wounded – a staggering one-day toll. This comes as the country was reeling under a deadly attack on the communication devices last week.

The death toll far surpassed that of Beirut's devastating port explosion in 2020, when hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse detonated, killing at least 218 people and wounding more than 6,000.

PM Netanyahu’s warning to Lebanese

In a recorded message for the Lebanese civilians, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to adhere to calls for evacuation stating, “take this warning seriously”. 

“Israel's war is not with you. It's with Hezbollah. For too long, Hezbollah has been using you as human shields. It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage. Those rockets and missiles are aimed directly at our cities, directly at our citizens. To defend our people against Hezbollah strikes, we must take out these weapons. Starting this morning, the IDF has warned you to get out of harm's way. I urge you – take this warning seriously. Don't let Hezbollah endanger your lives and the lives of your loved ones. Don't let Hezbollah endanger Lebanon,” Netanyahu said.

“Please, get out of harm's way now. Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes,” he urged.

Israel's military warns of "ground invasion" if necessary

Israel's military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said the army will do “whatever is necessary” to push Hezbollah from Lebanon's border with Israel.

Hagari claimed that Monday’s airstrikes had caused severe damage to Hezbollah. However, he did not give a timeline for the ongoing operation stating that Israel was prepared to launch a ground invasion of Lebanon if needed.

“We are not looking for wars. We are looking to take down the threats. We will do whatever is necessary to do to achieve this mission. We hope to do it as shortly as we can,” he said.

Hagari said Hezbollah has launched some 9,000 rockets and drones into Israel since last October, including 250 on Monday alone.

The military spokesman said Israeli warplanes struck 1,300 Hezbollah targets on Monday, destroying cruise missiles, long- and short-range rockets and attack drones. He said many were hidden in residential areas, showing photos of what he said were weapons hidden in private homes.

“Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon into a war zone,” he told a news conference.

Israel estimates Hezbollah has some 150,000 rockets and missiles, including guided missiles and long-range projectiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel.

(With Reuters inputs)

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