The deadliest 10 minutes in decades: Lebanese reel from Israeli strikes that killed hundreds

Key Points:

• Israel conducted a rapid 10-minute bombing campaign across Lebanon, killing at least 254 people and injuring 1,165, marking one of the deadliest attacks since Lebanon’s civil war ended in 1990.
• The Israeli military targeted over 100 sites, claiming to hit Hezbollah command centers, but many strikes hit densely populated residential areas in Beirut, causing widespread civilian casualties and destruction.
• Medical staff at Beirut hospitals faced a sudden influx of critically injured patients, including children and elderly, overwhelming emergency services and drawing comparisons to mass casualty events in Gaza.
• Residents of the Barbour neighborhood, previously considered safe and with little Hezbollah support, condemned the bombings, expressing anger and fear that the attacks are driving more people toward Hezbollah.
• The ongoing conflict, which escalated after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on March 2, has resulted in approximately 1,800 deaths and over 5,800 injuries in Lebanon, with no clear end in sight as Israel vows to continue targeting Hezbollah fighters.