Lebanon has experienced one of the most devastating days since the start of the current escalation in the Middle East. The bombings launched by Israel have left dozens dead and hundreds injured, according to the Lebanese Government, in an offensive described by Beirut as a “massacre.”
More than 130 attacks in just half an hour, the first hundred in just ten minutes, have hit different parts of the territory, from the south to the east of the country, passing through the capital itself. Israel claims that this is its “largest attack” against Lebanon since the start of the offensive last March and maintains that its targets are members of Hezbollah. However, on the ground, the reality is different: civilian victims, collapsed health infrastructures and scenes of chaos.
One of the most serious episodes took place during a funeral, where at least a dozen people died after the impact of the missiles. The cemetery has been completely destroyed. In other areas, attacks have killed three young people in the south, four more people in another town and an entire family in the east of the country.
The health situation is critical. Lebanese hospitals are overwhelmed, without the capacity to care for the avalanche of wounded. The authorities have launched urgent appeals to donate blood while medical centers receive victims without rest. Adding to this pressure is an especially serious fact: ambulances are also being targeted by attacks. At least four paramedics died this Wednesday in a direct bombing.
In Beirut, until now considered a relatively safe area, the attacks have come without warning. The constant sound of Israeli drones flies over the city, while the Government has asked to reduce traffic to facilitate the passage of emergency services. The capital, struck by fear, is experiencing scenes of confusion and desperation.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has harshly condemned what happened. In an official statement, he denounced that Israel “perpetrates another massacre that adds to its dark record, flagrantly defying all human values.” Aoun believes that this offensive ignores international efforts to achieve de-escalation after the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
“These barbaric attacks ignore all the understandings reached,” the president has warned, in reference to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in force since November 2024, although violated almost daily since then.
The president has held Israel “fully responsible” for the consequences of this new escalation and has warned that it will only contribute to increasing instability in the region. Furthermore, he has called on the international community to urgently intervene to stop the bombings.
Since the beginning of the conflict, at the end of February, the toll is devastating: more than 1,500 dead and nearly 4,800 injured in Lebanese territory, according to official figures. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has asked the population not to return to the affected areas and to remain cautious in the face of possible new attacks.
