Israeli Airstrikes Kill 254 in Lebanon After US-Iran Truce

Israeli airstrikes pummeled Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 200 people and wounding hundreds more, just hours after the United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire aimed at halting their broader regional conflict. The attacks, which targeted areas across Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley, marked one of the most intense bombardments since the war with Hezbollah began in March, drawing sharp condemnation and raising fears that the fragile truce could collapse.

The Israeli Defense Forces described the operation as a surprise assault on over 100 Hezbollah sites, including command centers and military infrastructure, carried out in just 10 minutes. Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said the strikes eliminated more than 40 militants and represented the largest blow to the group since earlier operations this year. Lebanese health officials, however, reported far higher civilian tolls, with initial counts of 254 deaths nationwide, including strikes on residential neighborhoods and a funeral in Chmistar that killed at least 10 people. In Beirut's densely populated Corniche al-Mazraa area, witnesses described chaos as explosions shattered...