One-sided massacre: Israeli strikes killed 492 Lebanese in a single day on Sept 23

Israel’s military launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Monday, marking one of the deadliest days for Lebanon in decades, with 492 people reported killed, according to Lebanese authorities, and tens of thousands fleeing for safety.

Following intense cross-border clashes since the resurgence of hostilities in October, Israel urged Lebanese civilians to evacuate areas where Hezbollah was allegedly storing weapons.

In a brief video message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the people of Lebanon: “Israel’s war is not with you, it’s with Hezbollah. For too long Hezbollah has been using you as human shields.”

Families from southern Lebanon hastily packed cars, vans, and trucks, with multiple generations crowding into vehicles to escape. As bombs fell, children sat on parents’ laps, and suitcases were strapped to the roofs of vehicles. Highways heading north became jammed with traffic. “I grabbed all the important papers and we got out. Strikes all around us. It was terrifying,” said Abed Afou, who was fleeing with his family, including three young sons, and other relatives.

Nasser Yassin, Lebanon’s crisis response minister, said 89 temporary shelters in schools and other facilities were opened, with a capacity for over 26,000 people fleeing “Israeli atrocities.” Many of these shelters were filled as people scrambled to escape the escalating violence.

After nearly a year of fighting Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is now concentrating its efforts on its northern front, where Hezbollah has been launching rockets into Israel in support of Hamas.

The Israeli military confirmed it had hit Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon, eastern Lebanon, and the north, including rocket launchers, command posts, and other infrastructure. Israel’s Air Force reported striking approximately 1,600 Hezbollah targets, mostly in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported that the death toll had reached 492 people, including 35 children, and 1,645 were wounded. A Lebanese official said it was the country’s highest daily death toll from violence since its 1975-1990 civil war.

The rising conflict has heightened concerns about a potential regional escalation, drawing in Israel’s ally, the U.S., and Hezbollah’s backer, Iran. Saudi Arabia voiced its deep concern, urging all parties to exercise restraint.

A senior U.S. State Department official reiterated that the United States does not support further cross-border escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. The official mentioned that Washington is working on “concrete ideas” with its allies to prevent the conflict from widening.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials have suggested that their intensified strikes on Hezbollah are aimed at pushing the group toward a diplomatic solution.

The U.S. official, speaking anonymously, countered the Israeli approach, saying that the Biden administration is focused on “reducing tensions and breaking the cycle of strike-counterstrike.”