Israel launched one of its most intense waves of airstrikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, just hours after a ceasefire agreement was reached with Iran, escalating fears of a widening regional conflict.
The strikes targeted multiple sites including Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley, sending huge columns of smoke into the sky and triggering mass civilian evacuations.
According to Lebanese civil defence figures cited by Reuters, nearly 254 people were killed in the latest wave of strikes, adding to a death toll exceeding 1,500 since the escalation began five weeks ago.
More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, as the conflict with Hezbollah intensifies across the country.
Aid workers on the ground described chaotic scenes, with continuous bombardment and little warning to civilians.
“These are not targeted attacks,” said Tania Baban of the Chicago-based nonprofit MedGlobal, reporting dozens of strikes across Beirut and surrounding areas.
The Israeli military said it struck around 100 “terror targets” within minutes, including Hezbollah headquarters, command centers, and military infrastructure. It also claimed to have killed more than 40 militants.
Officials described the operation as the result of weeks of planning, signaling a continued strategy to weaken Hezbollah despite broader diplomatic efforts in the region.
The Israeli military also indicated that operations could expand into northern parts of Beirut, raising concerns about further civilian impact.
The escalation comes despite a two-week truce announced by Donald Trump between the United States and Iran, which had raised hopes of a broader regional de-escalation.
However, Lebanon was not included in the agreement, a point confirmed by Trump, who attributed the exclusion to Hezbollah’s ongoing role in the conflict.
Iran has warned it could respond by reconsidering maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the war’s potential to disrupt global energy flows once again.
As Israeli ground operations continue and evacuation orders expand to cover large parts of Lebanese territory, civilians remain caught in the crossfire of a multi-front conflict.
