Israel launches heaviest strikes on Lebanon since war began, killing at least 250

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Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, even as the Iran-aligned group paused attacks on northern Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon under a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, as reported by multiple outlets. The bombardment came only hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Iran conflict, shattering hopes in Beirut that the wider region might be moving towards calm, according to Africa News.

Israeli air raids tore through densely populated commercial and residential districts in central Beirut without warning, striking the heart of the capital, according to Al Jazeera. At least 250 people were killed and more than 1,000 others wounded across the country, according to Lebanon's civil defence services, as reported by ABC Australia. Lebanon's Civil Defence later put the death toll at 254 and the number of wounded at 1,165, said Al Jazeera. The death toll made Wednesday the deadliest day in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, underlining how quickly a diplomatic breakthrough elsewhere can fail to protect civilians in Lebanon, reported Africa News.

Coverage Comparison

The scale and impact of the strikes were detailed consistently across outlets, though casualty figures varied. ABC Australia reported at least 250 killed and more than 1,000 wounded, attributing the figures to Lebanon's civil defence services. Lebanon's Civil Defence later said at least 254 people were killed and 1,165 wounded, as reported by Al Jazeera. A Lebanon health ministry statement cited by Dawn reported 112 killed and 837 wounded, while the ministry's initial count, carried by RFI, mentioned dozens of martyrs and hundreds of wounded. The Lebanese government said Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed dozens and wounded hundreds, according to RFI.

Al Jazeera described Israeli air raids as having 'torn through densely populated commercial and residential districts in central Beirut,' while ABC Australia reported a 'fresh sense of fear and panic' on the streets of Beirut. Africa News noted that rescue workers were still searching for survivors and bodies on Thursday morning in neighbourhoods such as Tallet El Khayat, where apartment blocks and shops were reduced to rubble.

Key Claims

• Heaviest strikes since war began: The Israeli military said it launched the largest coordinated strike of the current conflict, targeting more than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites within 10 minutes across Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley, as reported by multiple outlets.
• Casualty figures: Lebanon's Civil Defence reported at least 254 killed and 1,165 wounded, according to Al Jazeera. Earlier figures from Lebanon's health ministry put the toll at 112 killed and 837 wounded, as reported by Dawn. ABC Australia cited Lebanon's civil defence services saying at least 250 killed and more than 1,000 wounded.
• Hezbollah pauses attacks: Hezbollah paused attacks on northern Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon under a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, as reported by Dawn.
• Conflicting statements on Lebanon's inclusion in ceasefire: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the ceasefire did not apply to Lebanon, contradicting comments by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said the truce would include Lebanon, according to Dawn. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said Lebanon was 'not part of the ceasefire' between the US and Iran.
• Largest coordinated strike: Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said the attack was the most significant blow against Hezbollah since a 2024 operation involving pager bombs, and that it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, as reported by Al Jazeera and RFI.
• Attacks on paramedics: In a separate development, the Lebanese health ministry said Israeli forces targeted paramedic teams in the town of Mayfadoun, killing at least three and wounding six, with one missing, as reported by Dawn. The Israeli military said it struck over 200 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours.
• Emergency response: The head of Lebanon's syndicate of doctors, Elias Chlela, called for all physicians to head to any hospital to offer help, and one of Beirut's biggest hospitals said it needed donations of all blood types, as reported by Al Jazeera. The Lebanese health ministry issued an urgent appeal for roads in the capital to be cleared to allow ambulances through, according to RFI.

Perspectives

Israel: The Israeli military said the attacks targeted Hezbollah command centres and military sites, accusing the group of using civilians as human shields, as reported by Al Jazeera. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the ceasefire with Iran did not apply to Lebanon, and that operations against Hezbollah would continue, according to Dawn.

Lebanon: Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called the attacks on densely populated areas a 'full-fledged war crime,' coinciding with the ceasefire agreement, and said it was a serious test for the international community and a blatant challenge to international laws, as reported by Al Jazeera. He urged Lebanese unity in solidarity with the martyrs.

United States: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Lebanon was 'not part of the ceasefire' between the US and Iran, echoing remarks attributed to US President Donald Trump, as reported by Dawn. Trump also urged Israel to scale back attacks in Lebanon, apparently to avoid undermining the ceasefire, according to Dawn.