50 children, 94 women among 558 killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon

Lebanon said Tuesday the death toll from Israeli bombardment a day earlier had risen to 558, including 50 children, in the deadliest day of violence since Hezbollah and Israel went to war in 2006.

“So far, the health ministry has recorded 558 deaths, including 50 children and 94 women,” Health Minister Firass Abiad said.

“This frankly negates the lies of the Israeli enemy who said it was targeting combat forces… The truth, unfortunately, is that the vast majority, if not all, of those killed in yesterday’s attacks were unarmed people in their homes,” he added.

A total of 1,835 people were wounded, he said, adding that they were receiving treatment in 54 hospitals.

Four of the dead were rescuers from the Risala Scout association, which is affiliated with Hezbollah ally Amal.

Several militant groups operate health centres and emergency response operations in south Lebanon.

Sixteen emergency workers and firefighters were wounded, Abiad said, adding that the Bint Jbeil hospital near the Israeli border was hit on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Israel’s air force continued to strike on Tuesday, with the IDF claiming it had hit 1,600 Hezbollah terror targets inside the country.

Hezbollah, for its part, has continued to fire rockets into northern Israel, some of which have started fires. Overnight Hezbollah said it had targeted Israeli military bases and an airfield.

The death toll in Lebanon comes on top of those killed and wounded in last week’s detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies, with an official from the World Health Organization saying that some hospitals were being overwhelmed with casualties.