TEL AVIV: Israel widened its war against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 490 people and injuring more than 1,650 others in massive new airstrikes that raised fears of an all-out war.
Israel’s military said it attacked more than 1,300 targets, while Lebanon’s state news agency reported heavy strikes across multiple regions in the southern part of the country.
Among those killed were 35 children and 58 women, Lebanese health officials said.
The Israeli military warned residents of the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon’s east to stay away from Hezbollah’s armament supply depots.
“We are continuing to monitor Hezbollah’s preparations in the field in order to proactively thwart attacks against Israeli territory, and we are systematically broadening our strikes against Hezbollah,” Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters.
In a recorded message to Lebanese civilians, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to heed Israeli calls to evacuate, saying they should “take this warning seriously.”
“Please get out of harm’s way now,” Netanyahu said. “Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
Thousands of people have fled southern Lebanon, jamming the main highway north to Beirut.
The Israeli military said Monday evening it had carried out a targeted strike in Beirut but gave no details.
Through a spokesman, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he “is indeed alarmed by the escalating situation” along the Israeli-Lebanon border, especially the large number of civilian casualties and the thousands of displaced persons.
Israeli spokesman Hagari said in a video message that Israeli forces acted in response to indications that Hezbollah was preparing to fire toward Israeli territory.
He said Hezbollah is storing missiles, drones and other weapons in civilian areas, and he said Israel is advising Lebanese citizens to evacuate areas in which Hezbollah is present.
“We are operating to achieve all of our goals of the war,” Hagari said. “In Gaza, to dismantle Hamas and bring back home all the hostages. And in the north, to repeal the threat posed by Hezbollah and enable the residents from the north of Israel safely to return to their homes.
Hezbollah said it responded with dozens of rockets Monday fired at Israeli military targets in northern Israel.
Israeli air defenses also intercepted a drone early Monday launched by a pro-Iranian militant group in Iraq.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it was targeting an Israeli base.
The surge in fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border during the past week prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a new travel warning urging U.S. citizens to leave Lebanon on commercial flights while they still have the option.
(VOA)
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