Israeli army says preparing new wave of airstrikes in Lebanon’s Bekaa region

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army said Monday it is planning a new wave of airstrikes in Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon amid a growing escalation with Hezbollah.

“We are preparing to strike terror targets in the Bekaa Valley in the near future. Hezbollah stores strategic weapons there, in civilian buildings,” army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a press conference.

“This is a specific warning to the residents of the Bekaa Valley. Residents who are near buildings or inside homes where missiles and weapons are stored, distance yourselves from them immediately!” he added.

Israeli military spokesperson for Arabic media, Avichay Adraee, also issued a warning via social media platform X, giving residents in Bekaa Valley two hours to move away from homes where Hezbollah allegedly stored weapons and seek refuge in nearby schools.

The Israeli army struck more than 300 targets across Lebanon since Monday morning, marking the heaviest bombardment since the onset of hostilities last Oct. 8.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 182 people were killed and 727 others injured in the Israeli attacks since morning.

Tension has mounted between Hezbollah and Israel following a deadly airstrike on Friday that killed at least 45 people, including children and women, and injured dozens in Beirut’s southern suburb.

Hezbollah confirmed that at least 16 of its members, including senior leader Ibrahim Aqil and top commander Ahmed Wahbi, were killed in the Israeli strike.

The attack came two days after at least 37 people were killed and over 3,000 others injured in two waves of wireless communication device explosions across Lebanon.

While the Lebanese government and Hezbollah blame Israel for the explosions, Tel Aviv has not denied or confirmed its involvement.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,400 people, mostly women and children, following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul