Israel’s strikes on the eastern valley killed 60 people, according to Lebanon
Israel has attacked Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, killing at least 60 people, according to the country’s health ministry.
According to officials, attacks that targeted 16 locations in the Baalbek district killed two children.
The ministry reported that 58 people had been injured and that rescue operations were still ongoing in the valley, which is a stronghold for Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has yet to provide a statement.
Over the last five weeks, Israel has launched thousands of airstrikes throughout Lebanon, allegedly targeting Hezbollah’s weapons, infrastructure, and operatives.
The attacks were described by Governor Bachie Khodr as the “most violent” in the region since Israel intensified its war against Hezbollah last month.
Unconfirmed footage shared on social media revealed forest and building destruction.
Videos posted on social media seemed to show locals in the town of Boudai begging for the dispatch of heavy machinery to assist in the rescue of those thought to be trapped.
A “ring of fire” was how the regional leader of Baalbek’s Civil Defense personnel described the airstrikes to the BBC.
“The night was extremely violent,” Bilal Raad remarked.
“It was like a ring of fire has suddenly surrounded the area.”
He stated that “residential quarters where civilians live or near them” were the objective of the strikes, and that search and rescue operations had been hindered by a lack of equipment.
According to him, 16 members of the same family were slaughtered in the town of Al-Allaq, which was the most severely affected.
The ancient Roman ruins of Heliopolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are located in Baalbek. Thousands of pilgrims used to visit this site to worship three different gods.
According to a UNESCO representative, satellite image analysis has not shown any damage inside the boundaries of the Baalbek inscribed site.
They stated that they were “closely following the impact of the ongoing crisis in Lebanon on the cultural heritage sites” .
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli airstrikes on the seaside city of Tyre earlier Monday killed seven people and injured 17. Israel warned residents to evacuate the city’s center.
Hezbollah said that on Monday, it engaged Israeli forces close to Lebanon’s southern border and launched missiles at a naval installation there.
