Israeli forces launched a large wave of air strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 182 people and injuring hundreds more, Lebanese officials said, in one of the deadliest escalations of the conflict with the armed group Hezbollah.

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Israel said the operation targeted more than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites within a span of about 10 minutes, describing it as the largest wave of strikes carried out during the current fighting.

The attacks hit several locations including the southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 182 people had been killed and 890 wounded, warning that the toll could rise as emergency crews continue searching damaged buildings.

Scenes of destruction in Beirut

Hours after one of the most powerful strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, rescue teams were still combing through debris in search of survivors.

Amid the rubble were remnants of everyday life — family photographs, clothing and unfinished schoolwork scattered across the wreckage of destroyed homes.

Abdelkader Mahfouz, who had come to visit his injured brother, described the aftermath.

“There was a lot of body parts here. Only people are getting harmed. What should the people do? We can't do anything,” he said.

Ceasefire dispute and regional tensions

The strikes took place as Israeli officials rejected claims that a recently brokered ceasefire between the United States and Iran applied to fighting in Lebanon.

Pakistan, which helped mediate the US-Iran agreement, had suggested the arrangement covered the Lebanese front. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office denied that interpretation.

In Washington, US President Donald Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt also said the deal did not include Lebanon.

Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any new attacks since the ceasefire announcement, but the group warned it reserved the right to respond. It also advised displaced residents not to return to their homes until a formal ceasefire covering Lebanon is declared.

Lebanon’s presidency said it would continue diplomatic efforts aimed at ensuring the country is included in broader regional peace negotiations.

A war deepening Lebanon’s crisis

The latest escalation comes amid a long-running confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel that intensified after the group launched rockets into Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the early stages of the wider regional war.

Hezbollah said the attack was also in response to ongoing Israeli strikes inside Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreed in November 2024.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 1,700 people have been killed in the conflict so far, including at least 130 children. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and fighters.

Israel says around 1,100 Hezbollah combatants have been killed.

The war has displaced more than 1.2 million people — roughly one fifth of Lebanon’s population — with many forced to flee from predominantly Shia communities in the south.

Villages near the Israeli border have been heavily damaged as Israeli forces attempt to establish what they describe as a security buffer zone intended to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and push fighters further north.

The prospect that some areas could remain under Israeli control after the war has raised fears among residents that they may never be able to return home.

Inside Lebanon, Hezbollah has faced criticism from some groups who accuse it of dragging the country into conflict and serving the interests of Iran. Nevertheless, the organisation continues to retain strong support among many Lebanese Shia.

Political tensions and fragile diplomacy

The humanitarian crisis has placed additional strain on Lebanon’s already struggling economy and social fabric.

Schools converted into shelters are overcrowded, while many displaced families are living in makeshift tents, cars or public spaces. The movement of displaced people into other areas has also heightened sectarian tensions.

Following the 2024 ceasefire, Lebanon’s government announced plans to disarm Hezbollah. The group, however, has so far refused to discuss relinquishing its weapons.

President Joseph Aoun, a former army chief, has ruled out using force to disarm the organisation, warning that such a move could deepen divisions and spark internal violence.

After the latest escalation, his government said it was willing to open direct negotiations with Israel — a notable shift given the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

Israel has not responded to the proposal.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 9 April 2026

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These Lebanese and Iranians need to stop the terrorists. Otherwise Israel keeps going.

47 minutes ago, Rockyroad said:

These Lebanese and Iranians need to stop the terrorists. Otherwise Israel keeps going.

Israel is the terrorist!!!

26 minutes ago, JimHuaHin said:

Israel is the terrorist!!!

Israel is John Wayne. The bad guys shot at him first. He is just a better shot.

The end of Israel as a Zionist apartheid state may come in an unexpected way.

Continued and relentless missile and drone attacks by Iran and their proxies in the region might very well create a situation where Israel ceases to exist as a functioning entity that could be called a "state" in the accepted sense of the term.

A mass exodus of relatively affluent Jews will be the bellwether if indeed that scenario develops.

The Zionist Government of Israel has amply demonstrated that, for them, there is no such thing as a "ceasefire". You have only to look at Gaza.

Remove all US funding of Israel and put it into US healthcare and education. Let Israel enjoy the consequences of their actions alone. 🙂

3 minutes ago, ericbj said:

The Zionist Government of Israel has amply demonstrated that, for them, there is no such thing as a "ceasefire". You have only to look at Gaza.

Netanyahu has to keep going in order to avoid jail. Its all about him and his political survival. The man, and the motley group of racist, misanthropic religious extremists that prop him up are a disgrace, bombing and killing indiscriminately, with impunity, in a forever war that has sickened most of the world. Not only are they a danger to the region, where they seek hegemony, but increasingly the global order and economy. The only saving grace is that the vast majority of the world is starting to recognise this.

Weeks ago, I said Israel run the show in that part of the world. Soon, folks will wake up and realize that the war with Iran and Hezbollah and Hamas will never end, until Iran recognizes Israel's right to survive without any threats, Hezbollah and Hamas disarm. Until then, the Jews will treat them the same way Rome dealt with Carthage.TOTAL destruction. And I hope they do.

9 minutes ago, Summerinsiam said:

Netanyahu has to keep going in order to avoid jail. Its all about him and his political survival. The man, and the motley group of racist, misanthropic religious extremists that prop him up are a disgrace, bombing and killing indiscriminately, with impunity, in a forever war that has sickened most of the world. Not only are they a danger to the region, where they seek hegemony, but increasingly the global order and economy. The only saving grace is that the vast majority of the world is starting to recognise this.

Nothing with to do with Jail for BiBi....he is ex Spec Ops and dealt with those folks in the field, he is a Roman Consul....his mission is complete destruction of his enemy of die trying.

3 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Israel is the terrorist!!!

Remember October 7, 2023 ok dude.

I hope Hezbollah is vaporized.

2 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

Nothing with to do with Jail for BiBi....he is ex Spec Ops and dealt with those folks in the field, he is a Roman Consul....his mission is complete destruction of his enemy of die trying.

If he loses the next election he will likely be prosecuted for corruption (after the President declined a pardon), and be held accountable for his failures over the Hamas October assault. Above all he is driven by self-interest, and his long overdue day of reckoning will be celebrated globally.

4 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

Israel is the terrorist!!!

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

Remember October 7, 2023 ok dude.

Israel is one of the terrorists. It's not either/or.

Beirut is NOT in Southern Lebanon yet Israel is bombing it anyway. Beirut made the commitment to disarm Hezbollah. Is there any reason why they can't?

Lebanon has 6M, 2M Xians, and there are ~100k Hezbollah fighters. Should be doable. Another aspect is, where are the weapons coming from? Breaking the chain would be a big part of this.

Could the ordinary Lebanese be persuaded to identify Hezbollah in their midst? Without popular support, this would fail.

There may be a political aspect, too. Nobody wants to let Israel appear to "win".

But it would certainly be better than bombing the <deleted> out of them. Think those 182 are all Hezbollah, or is that just today's body count?

To refresh your geography, here's a road map of Lebanon for your next vacay. It's a beautiful country.

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

Soon, folks will wake up and realize that the war with Iran and Hezbollah and Hamas will never end, until Iran recognizes Israel's right to survive without any threats

Or the UN steps in to kerb Israeli's maniacal and genocidal terrorism resulting in their war crimes and crimes against humanity in multiple regions . 🙂 The UN remap the area and the 7 million or so Israeli Jewry can be rehoused elsewhere , if they don't want to stay in their new peaceful home of Palestine . A great solution to the Jewish problem . 🙂

2 hours ago, Summerinsiam said:

Netanyahu has to keep going in order to avoid jail. Its all about him and his political survival. The man, and the motley group of racist, misanthropic religious extremists that prop him up are a disgrace, bombing and killing indiscriminately, with impunity, in a forever war that has sickened most of the world. Not only are they a danger to the region, where they seek hegemony, but increasingly the global order and economy. The only saving grace is that the vast majority of the world is starting to recognise this.

Tucker Carlson really doesn't like Prime Minister Netanyahu

2 hours ago, Taboo2 said:

Remember October 7, 2023 ok dude.

Interesting documentary

Of course, Carlson is milking it.

Yet another report from multiple news outlets telling us that recent Israeli strikes across Lebanon have killed at least 182 people, with many of the casualties described as civilians.

These attacks come alongside the already devastating civilian toll in Gaza, where months of bombardment have resulted in widespread destruction and displacement of the inhabitants.

Given these two situations, I would argue that Israel’s conduct shows a blatant disregard for civilian life, both in Lebanon and Gaza.

Regardless of the fact that International humanitarian law requires all parties to distinguish between combatants and civilians, the scale of non‑combatant casualties continues to rise.

For that reason, I agree with the growing number of governments, rights organisations, and analysts that say Israel should be condemned for actions that repeatedly place civilians in harm’s way, regardless of the military objectives claimed.