BEIRUT, March 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 people were killed and an unspecified number wounded in Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple areas in southern and eastern Lebanon during the early hours of Wednesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.
A Lebanese security source and a Civil Defense source told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes carried out more than 100 airstrikes overnight and into the morning, hitting areas in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that the strikes targeted several southern areas, particularly the city of Tyre and its surroundings, as well as towns in the districts of Bint Jbeil, Marjeyoun, Nabatieh, and Hasbaya. Some locations also came under artillery shelling.
In response, Hezbollah said that it had carried out rocket and drone attacks on various Israeli military targets, including sites near Tiberias and areas in northern Israel.
Hezbollah entered the confrontation on March 2, launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024, prompting Israel to intensify military operations targeting multiple areas across Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on central Beirut at dawn on Wednesday reportedly killed 10 people and injured 27, the ministry said. ■
