02:36The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon rose to 558 with 1,835 wounded, according to Lebanese Minister of Health Firass Abiad, speaking in Beirut on Tuesday.
“The Ministry of Health recorded 558 martyrs, including 50 children and 94 women, which exposes the lies of the Israeli enemy that it only targeted combat forces. Unfortunately, the majority, if not all, of the casualties were unarmed civilians who were in their homes,” he alleged.
The minister also added that 16 paramedics and firefighters were injured.
Local media reported that several villages in the districts of Tyre, Sidon, Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, Hasbaya, Jazin, West Bekaa and Bekaa Governorate had come under Israeli bombardment since Monday morning.
On Monday, the Israeli army said it had launched ‘intensive and precise strikes against 'terrorist targets' across Lebanon, and called on civilians to evacuate from southern areas and Bakaa.
Hezbollah also conducted strikes on Israeli military areas in northern Israel, with Israel media reporting more than 200 rockets fired.
Tensions escalated over the past week following the mass explosions of pagers and handheld radios used by Hezbollah, with subsequent Israeli strikes on the south of the country and rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel.
The Israeli army has been exchanging cross-border shelling with Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Palestinian factions, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
558 killed in Israeli airstrikes, 1,835 injured - Lebanese health minister claims most are 'unarmed civilians'
The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon rose to 558 with 1,835 wounded, according to Lebanese Minister of Health Firass Abiad, speaking in Beirut on Tuesday.
“The Ministry of Health recorded 558 martyrs, including 50 children and 94 women, which exposes the lies of the Israeli enemy that it only targeted combat forces. Unfortunately, the majority, if not all, of the casualties were unarmed civilians who were in their homes,” he alleged.
The minister also added that 16 paramedics and firefighters were injured.
Local media reported that several villages in the districts of Tyre, Sidon, Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, Hasbaya, Jazin, West Bekaa and Bekaa Governorate had come under Israeli bombardment since Monday morning.
On Monday, the Israeli army said it had launched ‘intensive and precise strikes against 'terrorist targets' across Lebanon, and called on civilians to evacuate from southern areas and Bakaa.
Hezbollah also conducted strikes on Israeli military areas in northern Israel, with Israel media reporting more than 200 rockets fired.
Tensions escalated over the past week following the mass explosions of pagers and handheld radios used by Hezbollah, with subsequent Israeli strikes on the south of the country and rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel.
The Israeli army has been exchanging cross-border shelling with Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Palestinian factions, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon rose to 558 with 1,835 wounded, according to Lebanese Minister of Health Firass Abiad, speaking in Beirut on Tuesday.
“The Ministry of Health recorded 558 martyrs, including 50 children and 94 women, which exposes the lies of the Israeli enemy that it only targeted combat forces. Unfortunately, the majority, if not all, of the casualties were unarmed civilians who were in their homes,” he alleged.
The minister also added that 16 paramedics and firefighters were injured.
Local media reported that several villages in the districts of Tyre, Sidon, Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, Hasbaya, Jazin, West Bekaa and Bekaa Governorate had come under Israeli bombardment since Monday morning.
On Monday, the Israeli army said it had launched ‘intensive and precise strikes against 'terrorist targets' across Lebanon, and called on civilians to evacuate from southern areas and Bakaa.
Hezbollah also conducted strikes on Israeli military areas in northern Israel, with Israel media reporting more than 200 rockets fired.
Tensions escalated over the past week following the mass explosions of pagers and handheld radios used by Hezbollah, with subsequent Israeli strikes on the south of the country and rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel.
The Israeli army has been exchanging cross-border shelling with Hezbollah, and Lebanese and Palestinian factions, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.