51 killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon

The death toll from the continued Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday across Lebanese rose to 51, with injuries up to 223, reported Xinhua, quoting the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The ministry confirmed casualties in several locations across southern and eastern Lebanon, including Bint Jbeil, Ain Qana, Qabrikha and Tebnine.

Military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes targeted approximately 90 villages and towns in southern and eastern Lebanon. Among the casualties was Kamel Karaki, a photojournalist for Lebanese Al-Manar TV, killed in a strike on the southeastern village of Qantara.

Meanwhile, local media reported at least seven fatalities and 16 injuries from strikes near Beirut, with three deaths in Maaysrah, northeast of the capital, and four in Joun, Chouf district.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Hezbollah fired a surface-to-surface missile at Tel Aviv early Wednesday, triggering sirens in the city and surrounding areas. The IDF said it intercepted the missile using the David's Sling defense system, with no injuries or damage reported. The military later stated it had struck the Hezbollah launcher in southern Lebanon's Nafakhiyeh.

In a statement, the IDF announced that it had called up two reserve ground brigades to the Israel-Lebanon border following a "situational assessment," adding that the troops would be deployed for "operational activities on the northern front."

It noted that the mobilization would "enable the continuation of combat against Hezbollah, the defense of Israel, and create the conditions for northern Israel's residents to return to their homes."

This surge in violence follows Israeli bombardments on Monday and Tuesday, the most extensive Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2006. Official figures indicate the two-day strikes have killed more than 550 and wounded around 1,800 in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beirut's southern suburbs killed Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Muhammad Qubaisi and five others, according to the Shiite militant group.

The escalation comes after last week's explosions targeting communication devices across Lebanon, which left dozens dead. The cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been ongoing since Oct. 8, 2023, following Hamas's attack on southern Israel.