A sweeping series of Israeli airstrikes has struck multiple regions across Lebanon, leaving heavy casualties, overwhelming hospitals and trapping civilians beneath collapsed structures, according to reports from across the country.

The Israeli military said the operation marked the most extensive aerial assault in the current conflict, targeting more than 100 sites it identified as Hezbollah command centres and military installations within a span of 10 minutes.

Strikes were reported in Beirut’s southern suburbs, as well as in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

The bombardment came just hours after the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected claims by Pakistan — which had played a role in brokering a ceasefire between the United States and Iran — that the agreement extended to the conflict in Lebanon.

Nationwide, the death toll has surpassed 1,500 people, including 130 children.

More than 1.2 million residents — roughly one in five people in Lebanon — have been forced from their homes. Most of those displaced are from Shia Muslim communities in the south, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs, areas where Hezbollah maintains strong influence.

Border villages have been left in ruins as Israeli ground forces push forward, aiming to establish what officials describe as a security buffer zone designed to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and drive its fighters back. The strategy has raised fears that some المناطق could remain under occupation after the fighting ends, preventing displaced residents from returning.

Following the ceasefire announcement in the war involving the US and Israel against Iran, which began in late February, Lebanon’s presidency said it would continue "efforts to include Lebanon in regional peace".

Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any attacks since the ceasefire was announced. However, the group stated it stood on the "threshold of a major historic victory" and urged displaced families to wait for a formal ceasefire declaration before attempting to return.

The latest escalation is part of a long-running conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, reignited when the group launched rockets into Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the outset of the war. The strikes also followed near-daily Israeli attacks despite a ceasefire agreed in November 2024.

Israeli officials had previously signaled their intention to maintain military operations in Lebanon regardless of any agreement with Iran. In recent days, however, military sources cited in Israeli media suggested there were no plans to deepen the ground offensive, acknowledging that disarming Hezbollah by force would not be feasible.

Analysts have noted unexpected resilience in Hezbollah’s military capabilities, countering earlier assumptions that the group had been significantly weakened in prior conflicts. It has continued launching rockets and drones into northern Israel while also engaging Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

Within Lebanon, Hezbollah faces mounting criticism, with many accusing it of pulling the country into a conflict serving Iranian interests. Nonetheless, the group continues to retain substantial backing among segments of the Lebanese Shia population.

The humanitarian situation has deteriorated sharply, with the displacement crisis placing additional strain on an already fragile country. Schools converted into shelters are at capacity, while many displaced families are living in makeshift tents, public spaces or even their vehicles. The influx of displaced people into other مناطق has also heightened sectarian tensions, as communities fear becoming targets of Israeli strikes.

After the 2024 ceasefire, Lebanon’s government outlined plans to disarm Hezbollah, which was founded in the 1980s in response to Israel’s occupation during the country’s 15-year civil war. The group has so far refused to engage in discussions about relinquishing its weapons.

President Joseph Aoun, a former army chief, has ruled out the use of force to disarm Hezbollah, warning it could deepen internal divisions and trigger further violence. In response to the latest escalation, his government made a rare announcement expressing willingness to negotiate directly with Israel — despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. Israel has not responded to the proposal.