Secondary explosions during airstrike on building in southern Lebanon village
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit )
The IDF conducted on Monday its largest series of airstrikes in Lebanon since the start of the war, targeting around 1,300 Hezbollah sites across the country, including in southern Lebanon and deep into the Bekaa Valley.
The strikes come as the Lebanese Health Ministry reported 492 people killed and 1,645 injured in one of the deadliest days in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.
The IDF announced that the name of the ongoing offensive is Operation Northern Arrows. Hours after the operation was named, Israel launched additional strikes deep inside Lebanon. The IDF targeted long-range cruise missiles, heavy rockets with 1,000-kilogram warheads and explosive drones stored in civilian homes despite prior warnings to residents.
Amid the escalation, the IDF called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate areas near Hezbollah weapon sites, prompting a mass exodus of tens of thousands from the south. Hezbollah responded by launching more than 200 rockets into Israel, targeting the Galilee, Golan Heights, the Haifa Bay, Jezreel Valley, Carmel and, for the first time, Haifa and the West Bank. Most rockets were intercepted by air defenses, and others fell in unpopulated areas, causing damage but no serious injuries.
Lebanese masses fleeing conflict zones
In a Cabinet meeting that lasted four hours on Monday, Israeli ministers praised the military for its achievements, including the assassination of top Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil last Friday. While no decisions were made, some officials indicated that a full-scale war could still be avoided if Hezbollah agrees to a cease-fire.
“This is just a promo. We have tens of thousands more targets,” a senior security official said. “If Hezbollah continues, so will we.”
Air defenses spring into action across northern Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at a potential trip to New York later this week, where he is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly. Despite the ongoing fighting, Netanyahu indicated his intention to attend, citing the importance of Israel’s diplomatic messaging. Some ministers suggested that Foreign Minister Israel Katz could go in his place if Netanyahu cancels his trip due to the security situation.
Meanwhile, the government declared a special state of emergency across the country, citing a high risk of attacks on civilians. Home Front Command guidelines remain unchanged, with schools north of Haifa set to remain closed until Thursday.