Israeli airstrikes near Baalbek, Lebanon, resulted in 40 fatalities

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon resulted in the deaths of 40 individuals near the eastern city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley on Wednesday, as reported by the country’s health ministry. Additionally, further strikes targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut as night fell.

For over a year, Israel and the Iran-aligned Hezbollah have been engaged in exchanges of fire, coinciding with the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, hostilities have intensified since late September, with Israeli forces ramping up their bombardment of southern and eastern Lebanon and conducting ground operations in border villages.

The health ministry reported that the strikes on Baalbek and the surrounding area not only claimed 40 lives but also left 53 others injured. The Israeli military has not provided any comments on the situation. Israel has consistently targeted Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut. On Wednesday, the Israeli military instructed residents in these areas to evacuate several sites, leading to two waves of bombings—one late Wednesday and another early Thursday.

Lebanon’s Al Jadeed TV reported that there were at least four strikes on Thursday, although there were no immediate reports of casualties or specifics regarding the targets. Hezbollah’s Secretary General Naim Qassem stated on Wednesday that he does not believe political measures will effectively end the hostilities. He indicated that a pathway to indirect negotiations could emerge if Israel ceased its attacks. “When the enemy chooses to halt its aggression, we have outlined a clear route for negotiations—indirect discussions facilitated through the Lebanese state and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri,” Qassem remarked.

U.S. diplomatic initiatives aimed at ceasing the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which included a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, encountered setbacks last week, coinciding with the U.S. elections on Tuesday, where former President Donald Trump regained the presidency.

RESCUERS SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS

Over the past year, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 individuals, with the majority occurring in the last six weeks.

In the town of Barja, located south of Beirut, Lebanese rescuers combed through the debris of a collapsed apartment building following an Israeli strike on Tuesday evening that claimed the lives of 20 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

Moussa Zahran, a resident of one of the upper floors, returned to search through the remnants of his home. His feet, burned from the incident, were bandaged, and both his wife and son were hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the attack.

“These stones you see here weigh 100 kilos; they fell on a 13-kilo child,” he remarked, referencing his son and the apartment wall that collapsed on him during the assault.

It remains uncertain if the strike was aimed at a Hezbollah member, and there was no evacuation warning issued prior to the air raid.

Hezbollah announced on Wednesday that it had launched missiles targeting an Israeli military installation close to Ben Gurion Airport. Reports from Israeli media indicated that a rocket had struck near the airport.

Subsequently, the Israeli military confirmed that numerous projectiles had entered Israeli territory from Lebanon, with some being intercepted.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict have reached an impasse. On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Israel Katz as the new defense minister, who pledged to defeat Hezbollah to facilitate the return of those displaced from northern Israel.

Berri, a Hezbollah ally and key diplomatic figure, met with the U.S. and Saudi ambassadors to Lebanon on Wednesday to discuss the current political situation, although his office did not provide additional details.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister extended congratulations to the U.S. president-elect.

Netanyahu expressed support for Trump’s election, while senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri remarked that Trump would face scrutiny regarding his claims that he could resolve the Gaza conflict within hours as president.