Israeli air strikes on Lebanon killed at least 492 people on Monday, including 35 children, the health ministry said, marking the deadliest day of cross-border violence since the Gaza war began. Arab states strongly condemned Israel for the escalating hostilities with Hezbollah, which have intensified to levels unseen in nearly a year. The war erupted after Hamas and other Palestinian militants launched the unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, drawing in Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups.
Israel said it killed a "large number" of Hezbollah militants when it hit about 1,300 sites in southern and eastern Lebanon, including a "targeted strike" in Beirut. Hezbollah said Ali Karake, its third-in-command, was alive and had moved to safety after a source said the strike on the capital targeted him. State media reported new raids in eastern Lebanon, while Hezbollah said it targeted five sites in Israel.
In the coastal Israeli city of Haifa, people were seen running for cover when air raid sirens sounded. Lebanon's health ministry said the strikes killed 492 people, including 35 children and 58 women, and wounded 1,645 others. Health Minister Firass Abiad said "thousands of families" had been displaced.
Explosions near the ancient city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon sent smoke billowing into the sky. "We sleep and wake up to bombardment..
. that's what our life has become," said Wafaa Ismail, 60, a housewife from the southern village of Zawtar. Global powers urged Israel and H.
