Deadliest day since 2006 - close to 500 dead

 

Israel
Hezbollah strikes back: "He lives"

Emil Forsberg,

Julia Wide

Updated 23.04 | Published 6:00 p.m

Lebanon is going through the bloodiest day since 2006.

At least 492 people have been killed after Israel's bombardment.

- Don't let Hezbollah destroy your lives, says Benjamin Netanyahu.

The death toll continues to rise as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates. eskalerar.

At least 492 people have died in the past 24 hours, including 35 children, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said on Monday evening. Another 1,600 people have been injured. The day is described as the deadliest in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since 2006.

At the same time, over a million Israelis have rushed to the shelters in Haifa.

On Monday afternoon, Israel carried out a new attack on Beirut, where the goal is said to have been to knock out Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah's southern front, reports Haaretz.

The newspaper's sources initially stated that Karaki was killed in the attack. But Hezbollah claims he is unharmed and taken to a safe place.

"In response to the Zionist enemy's claims of having assassinated the brother and fighter Ali Karaki, we wish to confirm that the noble fighter and leader Ali Karaki is well and in good health," Hezbollah said in a statement.

Large parts of Hezbollah's leadership layer have been knocked out by Israel, states

In the past, Hezbollah's top military commander, Fuad Shukr, has been killed. Like the three leaders of the special forces Radwan, Ibrahim Aqil, Wissam al-Taqil and Abu Hassan Samir.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says that in the last 24 hours, what Hezbollah spent 20 years building has been destroyed.

- Hassan Nasrallah is alone at the top, he says.

Commander Ali Karaki (far right in the middle of the tree) is said to have died in an attack on Monday. Something that Hezbollah denies: "Moved to a safe place". Photo: Idf

The US reinforces

The US fears that the situation in the Middle East will lead to a major regional war.

On Monday, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder announced that more troops are being sent to the area. Ryder does not want to go into how many soldiers are involved or what they have been assigned to do.

The US already has 40,000 soldiers stationed in the area.

The Israeli government has held a conference call on Monday night declaring a special national emergency, according to Haaretz.

This gives the Israeli army increased powers to ban public gatherings, close schools and "further restrictions necessary to save lives", Haaretz writes.

Netanyahu: Don't let Hezbollah destroy

In a statement addressed to the Lebanese population, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urges everyone to take the IDF's evacuation order "seriously."

- For too long Hezbollah has used you as human shields. They have placed bombs in your living rooms and missiles in your garages, Netanyahu said in a video posted on X.

He says that in order to protect his population, these weapons must be eliminated.

- Israel's war is not against you. It is against Hezbollah. Don't let Hezbollah ruin your lives.

             

            Pentagon Press Secretary and Major General Pat Ryder. Photo: Kevin Wolf/AP