At least 254 killed in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah; ‘it would be dumb for Iran to derail ceasefire over Lebanon,’ says Vance

Israel’s massive airstrikes on Lebanon in its war with Hezbollah killed at least 254 people and wounded over 1100 on Wednesday, according to Lebanon’s civil defence, reported The Independent. In total, the bombings killed at least 254 people and injured more than 1,160 others across the country, said Lebanon’s civil defence.

The Israeli military had earlier said that it had hit 100 targets in just 10 minutes, including military infrastructure for Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The massive and devastating attack prompted Iranian officials to warn that Tehran could withdraw from the ceasefire agreed with the US overnight.

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Israeli warplanes levelled several buildings in the centre of Beirut, filling the skies with smoke in what Israel’s defence minister said was “a surprise strike” on the pro-Iranian group Hezbollah.

‘Lebanon a separate skirmish, not part of the deal’

The first responders struggled to extinguish fires after the strikes in Lebanon, as Israel bombed more than 100 Hezbollah military sites around the country.

The office of Israel’s prime minister said the two-week Middle East ceasefire did not include Lebanon, while President Donald Trump said Lebanon was “a separate skirmish” and not part of the deal.

Lebanon’s ministry of health urged people to “clear the streets” so ambulances could reach the injured.

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Iranian sources told the country’s Tasnim news agency that Iran was ready to exit the ceasefire agreement if Israel “persists in violating the truce in Lebanon”.

‘There has been a legitimate misunderstanding on Lebanon,’ says Vance

Meanwhile, US Vice President J D Vance said on Wednesday that there has been a “legitimate misunderstanding” on Lebanon. “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”

“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice. We think that would be dumb. But that’s their choice,” he added.

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Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said Iran and Lebanon were separate and the aim was to “change the reality in Lebanon and remove threats from the residents of the north”.

He went on to threaten Hezbollah’s leader. “We warned Naim Qassem that Hezbollah will pay a very heavy price for attacking Israel on Iran’s behalf, and Naim Qassem’s personal turn will come too,” he said.

‘Disarming Hezbollah is a top objective’: Israeli army

Disarming the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah is a “top objective” for Israel, says Brigadier General Effie Defrin, Israeli military spokesman. “Our strikes are meant to weaken Hezbollah significantly and ultimately bring about its disarmament over time,” Defrin said during a briefing.

Reacting to the ceasefire announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Iran enters this pause battered, weaker than ever.” In a televised statement, Netanyahu also hailed Israel’s cooperation with the US in the war. “Together, we launched a historic operation, the largest the Middle East has ever seen.”