Israel attacks Lebanon live: Hezbollah responds as Israeli raids kill 558
- At least 558 people, including 50 children, have been killed and 1,835 wounded in Israel’s fierce bombardment of various parts of Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
- Lebanon’s Hezbollah fired a barrage of missiles at Israeli air bases in response as world leaders and the United Nations called for urgent de-escalation.
Lebanon’s PM Mikati to head to New York
The media office of Najib Mikati has said Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has decided “in light of the recent developments” to travel to New York, where the United Nations is based, cancelling a cabinet meeting scheduled for this morning.
The announcement came after earlier reports that Mikati had cancelled the trip to remain in the country amid intense Israeli strikes.
Yesterday, Mikati called Israel’s aggression “a war of extermination” and a “destructive plan that aims to destroy Lebanese villages and towns”.
He urged “the United Nations and the General Assembly and influential countries … to deter the [Israeli] aggression”.
Civil defence tackled 176 fires across Lebanon in 24 hours
Lebanon’s civil defence says its crews have tackled 176 fires amid Israeli strikes across the country.
It said it responded to blazes in agricultural land in Harf Miziara and Qartaba and in a landfill in Mashha, among others.
The Israeli military said it hit dozens of “Hezbollah targets” in several areas of southern Lebanon overnight.
Lebanon sets up 89 temporary shelters
Nasser Yassin, the Lebanese minister coordinating the crisis response, told Reuters that the 89 temporary shelters were set up in schools and other facilities.
He said the shelters can house more than 26,000 people who have fled “Israeli atrocities”.
Qatar Airways suspends flights to Beirut
The Qatari national carrier said it has “temporarily suspended flights to and from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport” until Wednesday.
It cited the “ongoing situation in Lebanon”.
“The safety of our passengers remains our highest priority,” it added.
Germany’s Lufthansa, Air France and Delta Air Lines of the United States have also suspended flights to Beirut in recent days with some carriers’ services to Israel and Iran also affected.
