Israel Launches Heaviest Airstrikes on Lebanon Following Ceasefire Confusion

Beirut. Israel has launched its most intense airstrikes on Lebanon to date, marking the deadliest escalation since the conflict with Hezbollah began last month.

The massive military operation on Wednesday resulted in 254 deaths and over 1,100 injuries. Occurring just hours after a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, the attack has cast significant uncertainty over hopes for peace in West Asia.

The Israeli military described the operation as its largest and most coordinated strike. Within a 10-minute window, over 100 Hezbollah command centers and military targets were bombed across Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.

Beirut's skyline was blanketed in smoke as numerous buildings were leveled. Footage showed rescue workers using cranes to reach elderly residents trapped in upper floors. With a shortage of ambulances, civilians transported the wounded to hospitals on motorcycles, while medical facilities issued urgent appeals for blood donations.

Following the strikes, Hezbollah launched retaliatory rocket attacks on Manara Kibbutz in northern Israel. Accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire, Hezbollah warned that resistance would continue until Israeli-American aggression ceases. The conflict began on March 2, when Hezbollah attacked Israel in protest of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Meanwhile, confusion and disputes persist regarding the scope of the ceasefire. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that a ceasefire in Lebanon was a mandatory condition of the U.S.-Iran agreement. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified that Lebanon was not part of the deal, vowing to continue full-scale attacks on Hezbollah.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and the White House also claimed that Lebanon was not included in the agreement, suggesting Iran may have misunderstood the terms. Previously, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who acted as a mediator, had claimed Lebanon was covered by the ceasefire. Hezbollah MP Ibrahim al-Moussawi accused Israel of betrayal, stating they had halted operations Wednesday morning under the impression they were part of the truce.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned the event as a horrific massacre, stating it was unbelievable that such massive destruction occurred just hours after a ceasefire agreement.