Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanon witnessed an unprecedented escalation of military activity on Wednesday, as the Israeli army launched what it described as its most intense attack since the start of hostilities. This attack included a series of heavy airstrikes targeting the capital, Beirut, and most cities and towns from north to south. The operation was swift and characterized by overwhelming firepower.
100 goals in 600 seconds
The Israeli military spokesperson announced that the air force carried out a large-scale attack targeting more than 100 Hezbollah sites in just 10 minutes. The statement explained that the attack was based on “precise intelligence” and an operational plan prepared over several weeks. The operation directly targeted elite units, advanced missile systems, and drone launch sites that posed an immediate and future threat.
Geography of Destruction: From Beirut to Hermel
The Israeli army confirmed that the strikes were not limited to a single geographic area. They extended to command centers and military infrastructure in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. Local and international media reported that flames and plumes of smoke covered the sky over the capital and its southern suburbs. This coincided with heavy shelling that targeted the city of Tyre, the town of Haris, and even the Hermel region in the far north of the Bekaa Valley.
Complete paralysis and panic in the Lebanese street
Field sources described the airstrikes as a “symphony of successive explosions” that continued unabated for the first ten minutes of the attack. This led to widespread panic among civilians and a complete standstill of traffic in the targeted areas.
This escalation comes at a highly sensitive time. It reflects an Israeli desire to deliver a “decisive blow” to Hezbollah’s organizational and military infrastructure. It also aims to destroy strategic weapons depots before any potential political or military developments. Observers believe that the timing and nature of this operation indicate a shift in the confrontation to the level of “total war,” which would not spare the capital. At the same time, this places Lebanon before a severe test, amid fears of a complete collapse of vital infrastructure as a result of the concentrated targeting of command and control centers. These centers are sometimes intertwined with the urban fabric of major cities.
