Israeli Strikes Killed at Least 40 in Eastern Lebanon, Health Ministry Says

At least 40 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the historic city of Baalbek, in Lebanon’s east, and the surrounding area, Lebanon’s health ministry said late on Wednesday as strikes also pounded an area south of the capital.The ministry said that the toll in Baalbek, which is famous for its Roman ruins, and in the broader Bekaa Valley, was a preliminary estimate.

Over the last week, Israel has widened its campaign against Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, from its initial focus on border villages in the south.Baalbek was home to around 80,000 people before Israel’s military launched its assault and ground invasion aimed at crippling Hezbollah.While it was largely spared during the early weeks of the campaign, Israeli military warnings in late October prompted much of its population to flee.Since then, Israel’s military has repeatedly struck the city.

On Thursday morning, Israel’s military said it had struck around 20 targets tied to Hezbollah around Baalbek and north of the Litani river in southern Lebanon.It also said that it had struck Hezbollah “command centers and terrorist infrastructure sites” near Beirut overnight.Residents reported hearing at least four large airstrikes near the Lebanese capital and smoke was seen rising over the Dahiya, an area south of Beirut where Hezbollah holds sway.One hit so close to the international airport in the capital that stones fell on a runway, according to local news reports.

Lebanon’s transport minister, Ali Hamieh.said on Thursday that the airport was operating normally.More than 3,000 people have been killed in Lebanon since October of last year — most in the months since Israel ramped up its campaign against Hezbollah.

More than 1.2 million people — a fifth of the country’s population — have fled their homes, according to the Lebanese government....