Lebanon was gripped by shock and panic after Israeli warplanes carried out a wave of airstrikes targeting multiple areas in Beirut, as well as parts of southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, leaving an initial toll of 254 dead and 1,165 wounded, with rescue operations and debris removal ongoing.

In the capital, the strikes hit several neighborhoods, including Corniche al-Mazraa, Barbour, Ain el-Mreisseh, Msaytbeh, Basta, and Ain el-Tineh. At the same time, airstrikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs, hitting areas such as Bir Hassan, Hayy al-Sellom, Chiyah, Choueifat, Aramoun, and Bshamoun.

As the bombardment unfolded, Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces urged residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, to ensure ambulances and emergency responders could move quickly through affected areas.

The Lebanese Red Cross said it had deployed around 100 ambulances, with teams working to evacuate the wounded and transport them to hospitals.

In a statement, the Health Ministry’s Emergency Operations Center described the strikes as a “very dangerous escalation,” saying preliminary reports indicated dozens of people had been killed and hundreds wounded in coordinated attacks across several regions.

The ministry said the immediate priority was to carry out rescue operations, reach those still trapped under rubble, and ensure the injured receive treatment by distributing them to hospitals based on the severity of their conditions.

Authorities also called on the public to ease traffic congestion, particularly in Beirut, to allow emergency operations to proceed without obstruction. Beirut’s fire brigade issued a similar appeal, urging residents to clear the way for firefighting and rescue crews.

Meanwhile, the head of the Beirut Doctors’ Syndicate, Elias Shelala, called on physicians across all specialties to report to hospitals to help cope with the large number of casualties, urging them to fulfill their medical and humanitarian duties.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense, citing data from its centers across Lebanon, reported the casualties from the latest Israeli strikes as follows:

• Beirut: 92 dead, 742 injured
• Southern suburbs of Beirut: 61 dead, 200 injured
• Baalbek: 18 dead, 28 injured
• Hermel: 9 dead, 6 injured
• Nabatiyeh: 28 dead, 59 injured
• Aley District: 17 dead, 6 injured
• Sidon: 12 dead, 56 injured
• Tyre: 17 dead, 68 injured