Heavy barrages rained down in the early hours of September 22, 2024, against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, marking another high point in the series of hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese militant group. The strike lasted for several hours and killed at least 492 people, of which 35 children, and wounded at least 1024, both fighters and civilians, states Lebanese Health Minister. The airstrikes came after increased tensions across the border in recent weeks and among the heaviest attacks since the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Most of the attack's casualties were from southern Lebanon, close to Israel's border. The Shiite terrorist organization and political party Hezbollah, which controls a large portion of southern Lebanon, was the primary target of the strikes. Nevertheless, when the shelling struck residential areas, reports of civilian casualties, both women and children, were made. Consequently, the Israeli government justified the bombings by pointing to Hezbollah's continuous antagonism and aggressive actions, as well as the group's rocket shooting into Israeli territory.
After this umpteenth, bloody affair, the international community has responded with widespread condemnation, urging restraint from both sides. The United Nations demanded an immediate ceasefire and called on the de-escalation of conflict in order to avoid additional civilian casualties. "We are extremely concerned, deeply worried about the escalation in Lebanon," Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for U.N. High Commission for Human Rights, told the AFP news agency. The Lebanese government asked for international intervention, with promises to take the issue to the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, the humanitarian agencies organized themselves to provide a response to the affected civilians, although with the hostilities, access remains difficult.
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- USA today, Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon escalate in biggest attack since Oct. 7
- Politico, Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 492
