Lebanon reels after deadliest day as leaders condemn Israeli strikes

(Horizon Media) – Lebanon is reeling after the deadliest day in more than five weeks of renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, with rescue efforts ongoing and fears of further escalation mounting.

Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday killed at least 203 people and wounded over 1,000, many in densely populated areas of Beirut and other cities. Emergency crews continued searching through rubble on Thursday, pulling out survivors as hospitals struggled to cope with the sudden influx of casualties.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes as “barbaric,” denouncing the scale of civilian harm. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the attacks as a “blatant violation” of international and humanitarian law and announced that Lebanon will file an urgent complaint with the United Nations Security Council.

Israel said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and signalled further operations would continue. It also claimed to have killed a close aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem. Hezbollah has not immediately commented.

The violence has deepened internal divisions in Lebanon, with growing criticism of both Israel’s conduct and Hezbollah’s role in the conflict. The humanitarian toll continues to rise, with more than one million displaced and the overall death toll reaching at least 1,739. More than 200,000 people have fled to Syria since the fighting resumed.