At least 1,461 people have died and 4,430 have been injured since the start of Israel's air and ground offensive against Lebanon on March 2, according to the latest balance from the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Among the fatalities are 129 minors, in a conflict that continues to worsen the humanitarian crisis in the country.
Military escalation and pressure on Beirut
The Israeli air force has intensified this Sunday its attacks with at least eight waves of bombings over the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area considered a stronghold of the Shiite group Hezbollah. The explosions have caused dense columns of smoke visible from different points of the capital, in what is already considered the toughest day in Beirut since the start of the offensive.
These attacks occur after previous warnings from the Israeli Army, which had urged to evacuate certain areas given the presence of infrastructure supposedly linked to Hezbollah.
A conflict expanding since March
The offensive began on March 2 in the context of the regional escalation stemming from the war between Israel and Iran and its allies. Since then, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have evolved from isolated exchanges of fire on the border towards a broader military campaign, with sustained bombings and ground operations in Lebanese territory.
The south of Lebanon has been one of the most punished areas, although in the last weeks the attacks have extended with greater intensity towards Beirut and other urban areas.
Humanitarian impact and massive displacements
The conflict has also caused the displacement of more than a million people, many of them forced to abandon their homes due to the intensity of the attacks and the destruction of basic infrastructure.
Hospitals and health centers work under increasing pressure, while international organizations warn of the deterioration of living conditions and the risk of collapse of essential services.
A scenario of high regional tension
The escalation in Lebanon is framed within a broader context of tension in the Middle East, with the confrontation between Israel and Iran as a backdrop and with multiple actors involved directly or indirectly.
The intensification of attacks on Beirut strengthens international concern given the possibility of an expansion of the conflict and an even greater increase in the number of civilian casualties.