Lebanon says nearly 500 dead in wave of Israeli airstrikes

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Monday night that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes has risen to 492 people, with another 1,645 wounded.

The ministry said 35 children and 58 women were killed after Israel launched its deadliest wave of airstrikes at the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militia since 2006.

The campaign, centred on southern and eastern Lebanon, began on Monday morning and has hit 1,300 Hezbollah targets, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as a pre-emptive strike aimed at eliminating Hezbollah’s weaponry.