Israel Strikes 1,600 Hezbollah Targets on Monday, 492 Killed as Lebanese Flee

Israeli airstrikes targeted more than 1,600 Hezbollah positions across Lebanon on Monday, resulting in the deadliest day of the conflict in over a year. Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 492 deaths and over 1,645 injuries as Israel intensified its campaign against the Iran-backed terror group. Many of the strikes focused on homes where Hezbollah has stored rockets, drones, and other weapons, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The IDF warned civilians in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley and southern regions to evacuate homes near Hezbollah weapons caches. “Hezbollah has turned southern Lebanon into a war zone,” IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said, urging residents to flee for their safety. The military shared footage showing secondary explosions following airstrikes, which the IDF said were caused by hidden munitions stored in civilian areas.

Hezbollah retaliated with over 200 rockets fired at Israel, targeting northern cities and areas as far south as some West Bank settlements. While no major casualties were reported, the barrage marked one of the heaviest since the conflict escalated in October 2023.

Speaking from the IDF's underground command center in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel’s strikes were shifting the balance of power with Hezbollah. “We do not wait for a threat, we anticipate it,” Netanyahu said, adding that the strikes are aimed at neutralizing Hezbollah’s rocket and missile capabilities, which have displaced tens of thousands of Israelis in northern communities.

Videos shared on social media showed long lines of traffic as Lebanese civilians fled major cities, with authorities opening schools to shelter the newly displaced. In Sidon, highways were packed with cars as residents sought safety in the north.

The IDF also released images of a long-range missile being prepared for launch from a civilian home in southern Lebanon, underscoring the group’s tactic of using civilians as shields. “Hezbollah is putting your lives in danger,” Hagari warned in a statement directed at Lebanese citizens.

Netanyahu further addressed the Lebanese people, stating, “Israel’s war is not with you, but with Hezbollah. Please, get out of harm’s way now. Once our operation is finished, you can safely return to your homes.”

As the conflict intensifies, the IDF continues to evaluate its military strategy, focusing on aerial operations for the time being. Ground operations, while not immediately planned, remain a possibility if Hezbollah’s attacks persist. Hezbollah has vowed to continue its strikes until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, complicating hopes for a swift resolution to the war.

Hezbollah’s rocket attacks have claimed the lives of 26 Israeli civilians, while 22 IDF soldiers and reservists have also been killed. On the Lebanese side, Hezbollah has acknowledged the loss of 506 fighters since the skirmishes began, along with dozens of other militants and civilians.

As the conflict nears its one-year anniversary, Israeli officials remain committed to pushing Hezbollah away from the border, stating that force will be used if necessary to ensure the safe return of displaced Israelis to their homes.

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