Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon kill 20, raise total fatalities to 1,021: Beirut
Beirut, March 21 (IANS) At least 20 people were killed and 57 others injured in Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon over the past 24 hours, according to official figures.
The latest casualties, released on Friday (local time), bring the cumulative death toll to 1,021, with a total of 2,641 people wounded since the escalation of hostilities on March 2.
Meanwhile, displacement continues to rise sharply as ongoing strikes force more residents to flee their homes. A total of 134,616 displaced people are currently sheltering in 644 centres across the country, the figures show.
Efforts to accommodate displaced populations remain under strain as the humanitarian situation deteriorates amid continued airstrikes, reports Xinhua news agency.
Hezbollah entered the confrontation on March 2 by launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire on November 27, 2024, prompting Israel to carry out an intensified military campaign targeting multiple areas across the country.
Earlier on Wednesday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that the heavy exchange of fire, along with escalating air and ground activities and the increased presence of Israeli forces inside the Lebanese territory, are developments that raise “deep concern.”
In a statement, UNIFIL said that the violent escalation witnessed overnight marks a further worrying deterioration in the situation between Lebanon and Israel. It also expressed concern over the renewed issuance of so-called “evacuation orders” by parties to the conflict, which are affecting civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
UNIFIL renewed its call on all parties to recommit to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and to a full cessation of hostilities, describing it as the only path toward achieving lasting stability.
It noted that peacekeepers remain deployed at their positions within the area of operations in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line, where they continue to report violations, maintain communication with the parties, and, where possible, facilitate humanitarian access and protect civilians.
–IANS
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