Death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon rises to 182, says Lebanese health ministry
Sep 23, 2024
Beirut [Lebanon], September 23 : The death toll from Israel's strikes in Lebanon has risen to 182, with over 700 people injured, CNN reported, citing the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Lebanon's health ministry said that women, children and medics were among those who were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, according to CNN report.
Earlier, the Israeli army announced it struck about 300 targets across Lebanon today. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday announced that it launched "widespread" waves of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
It warned people to swiftly move away from homes used by the Iran-backed terror group to store weapons, The Times of Israel reported. The IDF said it had identified Hezbollah operatives who were preparing to conduct attacks on Israel.
Meanwhile, Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant attended an assessment on the homefront's preparedness amid widening fighting, saying, "Ahead of us are days when the public will have to show composure, discipline, and full obedience" to instructions by the Home Front Command.
IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee earlier announced that strikes at houses in Lebanon in which Hezbollah was hiding weapons were "imminent."
Lebanese people were asked to immediately distance themselves from sites used by Hezbollah to store weapons. The IDF said it had sent text messages to people, as well as called them over the phone from a Lebanese phone number.
In an Arabic message to Lebanese civilians, Adraee said, "Hezbollah is lying to you and sacrificing you." "Its missiles and drones are more valuable and important to it than you are," he added, The Times of Israel reported.
People in south Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley received text messages with warnings from Israel, The Times of Israel reported, citing Lebanon's NNA. According to Lebanese media reports, warning messages were also broadcast on radio stations.
Amid fears of escalating war with Israel, Lebanon's government has ordered the suspension of classes in public and private schools in various parts of the country.
According to the government's order, the schools will remain shut for two days in the southern part of Lebanon and aim to protect students from escalating dangers of the security situation, the Lebanese education ministry said.
The order took effect on Monday in the governorates of South Lebanon, Nabatieh, Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel and the southern suburbs, the Lebanese health ministry said.
