Over 1,650 people have been injured and at least 490 have been killed as a result of Israel's stepped-up military operations against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
According to official Lebanese news, there were widespread strikes in several southern Lebanon provinces, resulting in significant civilian casualties, including 35 children and 58 women. Over 1,300 locations were confirmed as targets by the Israeli military.
Residents in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley were warned by the Israeli military to stay away from Hezbollah’s arms supply depots as tensions continue to rise.
"We are continuing to monitor Hezbollah's preparations in the field in order to proactively thwart attacks against Israeli territory, and we are systematically broadening our strikes against Hezbollah," said Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Lebanese citizens received a warning from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asking them to leave. "Now please get out of harm's way," he said. "You are welcome to return home in safety once our operation is complete."
The main road heading north to Beirut is clogged with thousands of people who have fled southern Lebanon.
On Monday, the Israeli military acknowledged carrying out a targeted attack in Beirut; however, no precise information was given.
The UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, expressed alarm about the increasing violence near the Israel-Lebanon border, pointing out the significant population displacement and the high number of civilian casualties.
Hagari restated the rationale behind Israeli military action, claiming that the measures were motivated by intelligence that Hezbollah was getting ready to attack Israel.
He underlined that Hezbollah is amassing weaponry in civilian areas, including drones and missiles, and he gave Lebanese civilians advice to leave locations where Hezbollah is active.
Hagari said, "We are operating to achieve all of our goals of the war," which include eliminating the threat posed by Hezbollah to northern Israel and deconstructing Hamas in Gaza.
On the same day, Hezbollah retaliated by firing dozens of rockets against northern Israeli military targets.
Early on Monday, an Israeli air defense system effectively stopped a drone that an Iraqi militant group supporting Iran had launched, claiming it was headed toward an Israeli facility.
The U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory for American citizens, recommending them to depart Lebanon while commercial flights are still operating, in response to the recent uptick in hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border.
After the back-and-forth firing of missiles, Netanyahu promised to do whatever it took to get northern Israel safe again.
Framing it as an important message, he said that Israel has struck "Hezbollah with a series of blows they never imagined."
Hezbollah's response to an Israeli attack that claimed the lives of multiple Hezbollah military leaders in Beirut was one of the exchanges of gunfire.
Israel has been charged by Hezbollah with using remote detonation techniques that have killed at least 37 people in Lebanon in previous occurrences.
The struggle between Hezbollah and Israel has reached a new phase, according to deputy secretary-general Naim Qassem, who called it an "open-ended battle of reckoning."
During a discussion between Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon reaffirmed its support for Israel's right to self-defense and emphasized the need for a diplomatic resolution that benefits both parties.
The White House national security spokesman, John Kirby, stated that Israel and Hezbollah must exercise caution in order to prevent the situation from worsening and turning into a full-scale conflict.
Kirby said, "We think there are better ways... than opening a second front," referring to the ongoing war in Gaza with Hamas.
There are worries about the possibility of greater destabilization in the region because the current conflict has already resulted in a large number of casualties and displacements on both sides.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, emphasized the precariousness of the area and issued a dire warning that a wider conflict may have "incalculable consequences."
Although Grandi emphasized that they cannot handle all the ensuing issues, he did hint that U.N. humanitarian agencies have been preparing for the potential of a wider war.
Since Hamas launched its offensive on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which marked the beginning of the Gaza crisis, there has been continuous bloodshed along the Israel-Lebanon border.
