Israel bombs Lebanon, over 1600 raids: hundreds dead and thousands displaced in a new escalation of violence.

The situation in the Middle East has worsened in recent hours, with a massive Israeli air offensive against Lebanon that has caused hundreds of deaths and forced thousands of people to flee their homes. According to Lebanese authorities, at least 492 people have been killed in Israeli bombings in less than 24 hours, including 35 children and 58 women. The Israeli raids, which have hit mainly southern Lebanon, are fueling an increasingly serious humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians desperately seeking refuge.

Israel has launched more than 1.600 air strikes in a single day, government sources in Tel Aviv confirmed. The offensive is mainly aimed at Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese Shiite militant group, which Israel accuses of hiding weapons and fighters among the civilian population. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on Lebanese to leave the areas affected by the fighting, warning that attacks will continue until the targets are neutralized. “The war is against Hezbollah, not against civilians,” Netanyahu said in a video message. “Please move away from danger immediately. Once our operation is over, you can safely return to your homes.”

Beirut's accusation: "A war of extermination"

Faced with the devastation, the Lebanese government has strongly condemned the Israeli offensive. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called the operation a “war of extermination” and called on the international community, especially the United Nations, to intervene to stop the aggression. “The Israeli attack aims to destroy our cities and villages. We call on the UN General Assembly and influential countries to intervene immediately to stop this massacre,” Mikati said. The situation is particularly dramatic for a country like Lebanon, already afflicted by serious economic and political crises, and now forced to face a new humanitarian emergency.

The Bishop of Jerusalem: “The common people are paying”

In a climate of growing concern, religious leaders have also expressed their alarm over the consequences of this escalation. Monsignor Rafic Nahra, auxiliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, stressed that "the people who are paying the price of this war, both in Lebanon and in Gaza". The prelate, of Lebanese origin, told AsiaNews that the situation is particularly serious in southern Lebanon, where Israeli bombings are intensifying. "What we see is a war that seems never-ending, and Lebanon, already in serious difficulty, is now suffering even more". Nahra also recalled that among the Israeli soldiers involved there are many students and fathers, underlining how the conflict is widely involving the civilian population on both sides.

International alarm: “We are on the brink of total war”

The international community is watching the conflict with great concern. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the situation between Israel and Hezbollah was “extremely dangerous” and warned that it was close to full-blown war. “We are on the brink of an all-out war,” Borrell told reporters. “If this is not a war, I don’t know what else to call it. Civilians are paying a very high price and we must do everything we can to reduce tensions.”

Borrell urged international diplomacy to step up efforts to avoid a full-scale conflict, calling on all world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly to use the opportunity to seek a peaceful solution. “It is time to deploy all diplomatic resources to stop this escalation,” Borrell said.

Iran's Accusations: "Israel Seeks to Engage Us in an All-Out Conflict"

Iran has also reacted harshly to the escalation, accusing Israel of trying to drag the region into a full-scale war. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking to reporters in New York, warned that Iran’s involvement in the conflict could have “irreversible” consequences. “We don’t want to be the cause of instability in the Middle East,” Pezeshkian said. “We want to live in peace, but it is Israel that is trying to create this all-out conflict.” The Iranian president’s statements reflect the growing tension between Tehran and Tel Aviv, with the risk that Iran’s intervention could further expand the theater of war.

The situation in Gaza: a tragic toll

As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates in Lebanon, the situation remains dire in the Gaza Strip. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 41.455 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israeli offensive in the region, with over 95.000 injured. In the past 24 hours, 24 more people have died and 60 have been injured due to Israeli shelling.

Among the victims, an entire family was killed in an Israeli air strike that hit a building in Deir al-Balah, in the center of the Strip. According to local sources, the 29-year-old mother and her four children, aged between 4 and 8, died under the rubble. The incident has further aggravated the humanitarian situation in the region, where tens of thousands of families now live under constant threat.

Concern for Italian soldiers in Lebanon

Italy is closely following the situation, especially regarding the safety of the Italian soldiers involved in the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. The Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, has asked the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, for guarantees regarding the protection of the Italian troops. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, has declared that, at the moment, the evacuation of the soldiers is not foreseen, but the situation remains under constant monitoring. Tajani has also underlined that Italy is ready to organize the evacuation of the Italian citizens residing in Lebanon if the situation were to further deteriorate.

The escalation between Israel and Lebanon has now reached extremely dangerous levels, with hundreds of deaths, thousands of displaced people and an increasingly concrete risk of an all-out war that could involve the entire Middle East. While international diplomacy desperately tries to stop the conflict, civilians continue to pay the highest price for this new phase of violence.