Israel intensifies strikes on Lebanon for third day as Hezbollah launches missile at Tel Aviv

Beirut, Sep 25 (IANS) Israel intensified its air campaign across Lebanon for a third consecutive day on Wednesday, resulting in at least 24 deaths and over 200 injuries, according to 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.

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, Xinhua news agency reported.

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.

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