• Israel launched extensive strikes across Lebanon hours after a US-Iran ceasefire.
• The strikes targeted over 100 Hezbollah sites in a coordinated attack.
• Casualties are reported in dozens, affecting urban areas of Beirut and southern Lebanon.

Israel has executed a large-scale offensive across Lebanon just hours after a ceasefire was announced between Iran and the US. This attack is characterized as the largest coordinated strike since the renewed conflict began on March 2, with Israel targeting more than 100 Hezbollah command centers in a brief 10-minute operation, according to the Israeli military. The strikes have caused significant damage in central Beirut and the southern regions of Lebanon, overwhelming emergency services amid rising tensions in the area, with reports of black smoke billowing over busy urban areas, leading to panic in the streets, according to Middle East Eye, Channel News Asia, and Africanews.

Reports indicate widespread destruction, with Israeli strikes hitting not only military installations but also residential and commercial areas in Beirut without prior warning. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health estimates that dozens have been killed while hundreds have sustained injuries. As a result, hospitals are now overcrowded with injured civilians, prompting an urgent response from the Lebanese Red Cross, which mobilized about 100 ambulances to assist the victims, as detailed by Al Jazeera.

Israeli officials have publicly stated that the ceasefire agreement does not extend to their operations against Hezbollah, a position echoed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a declaration prior to the strikes, he emphasized that the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah would continue unabated, raising concerns about the safety of civilians in the region. Lebanese officials have condemned these strikes, labeling them as reckless and a clear violation of international norms regarding civilian protection, affirming their commitment to discuss terms for cessation of hostilities, according to Africanews and Channel News Asia.

The fallout from these assaults has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, with over 1.5 million people displaced and significant casualties reported since the onset of confrontation in early March. Many locals are uncertain about returning to their homes in southern Lebanon due to ongoing threats from Israeli airstrikes, which have indiscriminately targeted populated neighborhoods, as shown by recent events, according to Middle East Eye and Al Jazeera.