Lebanon bombing

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Israel is at war with Hezbollah.

(Bild: APA/AP)

Following the deadliest airstrikes on the Shiite Hezbollah militia since the Lebanon war in 2006, which left more than 400 dead, the Israeli government declared a nationwide state of emergency on Monday. There are fears of retaliatory strikes.

According to media reports, the decision means, among other things, that the size of gatherings can be restricted. However, the army has not yet issued any new instructions.

Rising smoke after an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese city of Baalbek

(Bild: APA/AFP/Nidal SOLH)

Air strikes: More than 400 dead
According to media reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathered the security cabinet for further consultations at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Israel had previously attacked hundreds of targets in Lebanon from the air on Monday. More than 400 people were killed and at least 1600 injured, according to Lebanon's acting health minister Firas Abiad. Children and paramedics were among the victims.

In the evening, an Israeli attack on the south of Beirut targeted a Hezbollah commander on the southern front, according to Lebanese reports. An Israeli drone had targeted Ali Karake, the number three in Hezbollah's military leadership, according to sources close to the pro-Iranian militia. Shortly beforehand, the Israeli army had announced that it had carried out "a targeted attack" in the capital Beirut. 

According to the Shiite militia, however, Karake is in good health. He is "in good health" and has been taken to a safe place, Hezbollah said. This contradicted media reports that had reported Karaki's death as a result of the Israeli attack.

According to the Israeli military, Hezbollah in turn fired more than 150 missiles at civilian locations in Israel. Some of them were intercepted by the missile defense system, others hit open areas.

Netanyahu addresses the Lebanese people
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a message directly to the Lebanese people. "Israel's war is not with you, but with Hezbollah," he said, according to his office. "Hezbollah has used you as human shields for too long." Netanyahu said Hezbollah had hidden rockets in homes aimed at Israeli towns and citizens. "In order to defend our people against Hezbollah attacks, we must render these weapons harmless."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Lebanese: "Israel is not at war with you, but with Hezbollah."

(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/ABIR SULTAN)

Israel and Hezbollah have already waged war against each other in 1982 and 2006. The Iranian-backed militia is much more heavily armed today than it was during the war almost 20 years ago. It claims to be acting in solidarity with the Islamist Hamas, which is fighting against Israel in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah and Hamas are supported by Iran. 

Israel has recently reduced the number of its attacks in the Gaza Strip and is increasingly concentrating on Hezbollah. Israel wants the militia to withdraw behind the Litani River, 30 kilometers from the border - as stipulated by UN Resolution 1701, which marked the end of the war in 2006. According to the resolution, Hezbollah is not allowed to be present along the border. However, neither the UN observer mission nor the Lebanese army are enforcing this. Israel has declared the return of its residents to their homes in the north to be one of the goals of the Gaza war, which began with the Hamas terror attack on October 7 last year.

AUA connections suspended
Austrian Airlines announced on Monday evening that due to the unstable situation in the region, connections to and from Tel Aviv and Tehran will remain suspended up to and including October 14. Connections to Amman and Erbil will continue as planned. Passengers affected will be offered the option of rebooking and canceling their flights.