Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon claim 72 lives, escalating regional tensions
Shafaq News/ The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on several regions in Lebanon rose to 72 on Wednesday, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
The strikes have intensified across eastern parts of the country as Israel targets Hezbollah positions amid rising cross-border hostilities.
The ministry confirmed that 38 people were killed in southern Lebanon, while 12 more lost their lives in the Bekaa Valley in the east. An additional 22 were killed in strikes on towns both north and south of Beirut. Approximately 400 people have been reported injured. An earlier tally put the death toll at 51, with more than 220 wounded.
More than 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since Monday, the UN said, as Israel's military says it is carrying out a new wave of "extensive" strikes in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa area.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials are increasingly concerned about the narrowing window to prevent a broader war between Hezbollah and Israel, as diplomatic efforts struggle to keep up with the escalating violence.
The Israeli military conducted some of its heaviest air raids in a year, targeting key Hezbollah leaders and hundreds of sites deep inside Lebanon. Hezbollah, backed by Iraqi factions, responded with a barrage of rockets and drones aimed at Israeli military installations, causing several casualties.
