The death toll from ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah, has reached 492 in the deadliest day of conflict in 20 years, said the country’s the health ministry on Tuesday.
A huge number of families are forced to flee their houses as Israeli forces claimed to hit 1,600 Hezbollah targets in different areas of Lebanon.
In retaliation, the group has fired more than 200 rockets into, injuring two people.
Amid increasing escalation, world powers have been urging the both sides to stop the battle in order to avoid more causalities.
Lebanon’s health ministry, according to BBC, said 35 children and 58 women were among the dead, while 1,645 others had been wounded.
The year-long fighting between Israel and Hezbollah ignited by the Gaza war has claimed lives of hundreds of people besides leaving tens of thousands displaced.
Meanwhile, the United States has sent additional troops to the Middle East amid the growing crisis.
Lebanese media said the first wave of Israeli air strikes occurred at around 06:30 local time (03:30 GMT) on Monday.
“It was horrifying, the missiles flew over our heads. We woke up to the sound of bombings, we didn’t expect this,” a victim was quoted as having said.
The Israeli forces targeted various districts including Sidon, Marjayoun, Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, Tyre, Jezzine and Zahrani in the air strikes.
