BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, targeting multiple regions, including several densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, according to preliminary reports.
The airstrikes have resulted in a large number of casualties, though official and exact figures have not yet been released. Rescue operations are ongoing, with civil defense teams working to search through damaged buildings and assist the wounded.
Hospitals across Beirut and the surrounding areas have issued urgent appeals for blood donations of all types, as medical facilities struggle to cope with the influx of injured civilians. Medical staff have warned that supplies are rapidly depleting amid the growing number of casualties.
The Israeli military said the deadly large-scale Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday were part of a new operation the country launched, dubbed "Eternal Darkness." It said the aim of the operation is to harm Hezbollah command and control centers in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as in the capital, Beirut.
A two-week ceasefire was announced by the United States and Iran early on Wednesday. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country would comply with the truce but would continue its attacks in Lebanon. ■
