The escalation of Israeli strikes on Lebanon since September 23 has inflicted heavy damage on the country, with the death toll rising quickly.
The effects of the violence highlight the intensity of Israeli operations on its northern border. It comes after Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the country had shifted its focus to a “new phase” of the conflict.
Casualties and injuries
As of late September, more than 630 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 50 children and 94 women, with more than 1,700 injured, according to figures from the Health Ministry and the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This makes September the deadliest month of any Israeli war on Lebanon.
Displacement crisis
Lebanon, with a population of 5.8 million, is home to 1.5 million refugees, primarily Palestinians and Syrians. The conflict has worsened the displacement crisis, with 500,000 forced to flee their homes by the Israeli bombardment, according to estimates from the Lebanese government. That means about 8 per cent of the population was displaced in a matter of days.
More than 60,000 Israelis have been displaced since Hezbollah began its cross-border attacks after the start of the Gaza war, official figures show.
Strikes and cross-border attacks
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project found that, between October 7 and September 20, at least 10,214 cross-border attacks occurred between Israel, Hezbollah and other armed groups in Lebanon. The majority were concentrated at Lebanon's border with Israel.
In the past few days, Israel has conducted about 2,000 strikes on what it says are Hezbollah positions and weapons stores. In return, Hezbollah has launched about 250 attacks, with some rockets reaching Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Israeli firepower, including artillery, air strikes and drone attacks, has accounted for more than 85 per cent of the cross-border strikes since October 7.
Pager and walkie-talkie attacks
Blasts involving pagers belonging to Hezbollah members killed 32 people, including two children, and injured thousands on September 17. A day later, 20 were killed and 450 injured when walkie-talkies exploded, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
Lebanese authorities blame Israel for the blasts, but the country has not taken responsibility. Israeli sources claimed 1,500 Hezbollah fighters had been incapacitated during the latest escalation.
Economic impact and aid
Lebanon’s fragile economy is set to worsen, with a contraction of between 10 per cent to 25 per cent predicted this year, as key sectors including agriculture and tourism are hit. Damage to vital infrastructure, including water stations, will deepen the crisis.
The UN announced that humanitarian organisations urgently need $170 million to sustain their response and meet new needs in Lebanon. The World Food Programme has food supplies for 150,000 people for five days. The UN children's agency has 25 tonnes of medical supplies set to arrive in Lebanon, with another 53 tonnes on the way.
Past Israeli invasions of Lebanon
Israel has invaded Lebanon on three occasions, with the first two coming in conflicts with the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
- 1978: Israel aimed to displace the PLO from southern Lebanon. The operation led to between 1,100 and 2,000 deaths, mainly civilians.
- 1982: Israel’s largest invasion resulted in the deaths of 20,000 people, including civilians, and the expulsion of PLO forces.
- 2006: Caused by the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. The 34-day conflict resulted in 1,191 Lebanese deaths, including civilians.
In the current escalation, Israel claims it is attacking Hezbollah positions and fighters, but civilian casualties are at an all-time high. Strikes this month, including on September 23, surpass the highest single-day death tolls from previous conflicts.
Wars such as the 1982 invasion of Lebanon caused thousands of civilian deaths in a few months. But the concentrated casualty figures recorded in the latest violence are unprecedented in the country, demonstrating the intensity of the conflict.
What next?
Lebanon faces a deepening humanitarian crisis amid increasing displacement and further damage to critical infrastructure. The US, France and several Arab countries have called for a 21-day ceasefire, a move Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected.
The violence threatens not only Lebanon’s economic stability, but also the safety and future of its people.
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
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0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
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Dir: Eleanor Coppola
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Two stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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England squad
Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
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1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Lexus LX700h specs
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On sale: Now
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The National in Davos
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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