50 Children, 94 Women Among 558 Killed in Israeli Strikes on Lebanon; Nearly 2,000 Wounded

Beirut: As Israel continues to bombard southern Lebanon, as many as 558 people have been killed with thousands fleeing from southern Lebanon as two sides are on the verge of an all-out war.

The Israeli military said that Tuesday morning that 55 rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, causing fires and damage to buildings. Military officials stated conducting numerous airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, including one cell that fired rockets overnight, and that tanks and artillery also struck targets near the border.

Highest Single-Day Death Toll Since 2006  

This latest exchange followed Monday's barrages, which resulted in the highest death toll in a single day in Lebanon since the intense month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

Israel stated that it targeted sites where Hezbollah stored weapons. 

Data from Monday indicated significant fires erupting across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, with several areas experiencing intense, multiple blazes. Notably, near the southern coastal town of Naqoura, which houses a base for the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL, and in various mountainous rural regions and villages.

Thousands Fled From Lebanon

Tensions have been escalating steadily for the past 11 months, bringing both sides to the brink of war once again. Hezbollah has been launching rockets, missiles, and drones into northern Israel in support of the Palestinians and its ally Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group in Gaza.

In response, Israel has intensified its airstrikes and conducted targeted killings of Hezbollah commanders while threatening broader military operations.

Israel Ready For Ground Offensive ‘If Needed’

On Monday, thousands of Lebanese fled the southern region after the Israeli military ordered evacuations in areas where it claims Hezbollah has deployed rocket launchers and other weaponry, marking the largest exodus since the month-long war nearly 18 years ago.

The Israeli military says it has no immediate plans for a ground invasion but is prepared for one, after moving thousands of troops who had been serving in Gaza to the northern border. It says Hezbollah has launched some 9,000 rockets and drones into Israel since last October, including 250 on Monday alone.

The military said Israeli warplanes struck 1,600 Hezbollah targets Monday, destroying cruise missiles, long- and short-range rockets and attack drones, including weapons concealed in private homes. Lebanese officials have said many of the victims were civilians, including more than 90 women and children killed.

Israel estimates Hezbollah has some 150,000 rockets and missiles, including guided missiles and long-range projectiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel.

Monday's escalation came after a particularly heavy exchange of fire Sunday. Hezbollah launched around 150 rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel in retaliation for strikes that killed a top commander and dozens of fighters.

Last week, thousands of communications devices, used mainly by Hezbollah members, exploded in different parts of Lebanon, killing 39 people and wounding nearly 3,000, many of them civilians. Lebanon blamed Israel, but Israel did not confirm or deny responsibility.

(With inputs from Associated Press)