Israeli airstrikes target Hezbollah, 500k Lebanese displaced
Israel reported on Thursday that it carried out "precise strikes" on targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon. Civilians are fleeing from areas affected by the bombings. The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimated that there would be about 500,000 displaced individuals.
The air force struck infrastructure on the Lebanese-Syrian border, which was allegedly used by Hezbollah for smuggling weapons intended for use against Israeli civilians, according to a statement by the Israeli armed forces on social media. Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamieh told Reuters that the bombings damaged one of the border bridges.
Later on Thursday, the Israeli military mentioned it conducted a "precise strike" on Beirut, aiming at a Hezbollah air unit commander. A powerful explosion was heard in the capital's southern suburbs, and the sky was shrouded in a thick cloud of dust, Beirut residents told Reuters.
Since Monday, massive raids by the Israeli air force have been concentrated in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, in the northeastern part of the country, areas considered Hezbollah strongholds.
Israel also carried out several strikes on Beirut, each time targeting specific senior commanders of the Iran-backed organization. At the end of July, Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr was killed similarly. On Friday, Ibrahim Akil, commander of the group's special forces, Radwan, was killed in a raid on Beirut. On Tuesday, Ibrahim Kubaisi, responsible for the rocket forces of the Shiite formation, was killed in an attack on the Lebanese capital.
Lebanese civilians flee
According to Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, around 500,000 internal refugees have fled the bombed areas. On Wednesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that about 90,000 individuals had escaped.
Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi told the media on Thursday that more than 70,000 internal refugees have been housed in temporary shelters. Most escapees have taken refuge with family or in hotels, so they are not included in these statistics.
Lebanese media report crowded roads filled with refugees, healthcare facilities overwhelmed by the number of injured, and various structures being adapted as temporary shelters.
Since Monday, over 600 people have been killed in the intensive Israeli bombings of Lebanon, at least 72 of whom on Wednesday. At least 50 of the fatalities are children. Several thousand people have been injured. Israel emphasizes that the offensive aims at the terrorist organization Hezbollah, which controls a large part of Lebanon.
