At Least 59 Killed In 24 Hours In More Than 100 Israeli Attacks In Lebanon

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, in addition to the 59 dead, 182 people were injured on Thursday, bringing the total number since the start of the war between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah on October 8, 2023, to 3,445 dead (223 of whom were children and 666 were women) and 14,599 injured.

The Lebanese Presidency's Council of Ministers indicated in a report today that, during the last 24 hours, 116 airstrikes were recorded in different areas of Lebanese territory, mainly concentrated in Nabatiye, in the south of the country, with 50 attacks.

But it was in the Baalbek-Hermel region, in eastern Lebanon, that one of the deadliest attacks took place, against a Civil Defense center, causing the death of at least 15 rescuers, in addition to other actions in the area that left 13 more dead.

In more than a year, 208 members of the health sector have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to the Ministry of Health.

In addition, the total number of internally displaced people registered in accredited centres reached 187,816 people, with the highest percentage in the provinces of Mount Lebanon and Beirut, although the number of internally displaced people is believed to be much higher.

The Lebanese government estimates that 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes since 23 September, the date of the escalation of the conflict by Israel against the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah, and the subsequent ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

General Security also recorded the crossing of 381,277 Syrian citizens and 215,856 Lebanese citizens into Syrian territory.

In addition, there are a total of 1,172 shelters accredited to receive and accommodate internally displaced people, and of these, 978 centres have so far reached their maximum capacity, according to the report.

The UN also warned today of an “alarming increase” in recent days in the number of people killed in Israeli attacks on “densely populated” areas of Lebanon.

“The number of people killed, injured, displaced or facing displacement orders that we are witnessing on a daily basis is regrettable,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Lebanon (OCHA Lebanon).

“The protection of civilians is not optional: it is a moral and legal obligation that binds all parties to an armed conflict,” it stressed.

“Every possible precaution must be taken to prevent and minimize harm to civilians, including in the choice of weapons and tactics, by verifying targets and by issuing effective and timely early warnings,” OCHA Lebanon said.