Israeli forces have launched a devastating bombardment across Lebanon, resulting in hundreds of deaths, just hours after a two-week ceasefire was declared in the United States-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that at least 203 people were killed and 1,000 wounded in air strikes on Wednesday, which targeted areas including Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon, Sidon, and several villages in southern Lebanon. Earlier, the country’s Civil Defence had estimated the death toll at over 250.
The Israeli military stated that this attack marked its largest coordinated assault on Lebanon since a new military operation began in the country on March 2, claiming to have targeted “more than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites.”
In a written statement, Elias Chlela, head of Lebanon’s syndicate of doctors, issued an urgent appeal for “all physicians from all specialities” to report to any hospital capable of providing assistance. One of Beirut’s largest hospitals also announced an urgent need for blood donations of all types.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Lebanon was not included in the US-Iran truce, a claim contradicted by mediator Pakistan, which stated the ceasefire encompassed the country. US President Donald Trump also maintained that Lebanon was “separate” and not part of the agreement.
Here’s how the world has reacted to the attacks:
**Lebanon**
Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri denounced the attacks on densely populated areas as a “full-fledged war crime.” Berri stated, “Today’s crime, coinciding with the declared ceasefire agreement in the region—an agreement that Israel and its political and security apparatus have failed to uphold—is a serious test for the international community and a blatant challenge to all international laws, norms, and conventions, which Israel violates daily through its unprecedented campaign of human assassination in modern history.” He added, “It is also a test for all Lebanese—political, religious, and civil leaders—to unite in solidarity with the martyrs. May God have mercy on the martyrs, grant a speedy recovery to the wounded, and protect Lebanon.”
**Hezbollah**
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah asserted its “right” to respond to the attacks. In a statement, Hezbollah declared, “We affirm that the blood of the martyrs and the wounded will not be shed in vain, and that today’s massacres, like all acts of aggression and savage crimes, confirm our natural and legal right to resist the occupation and respond to its aggression.” Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah informed Reuters that the Israeli strikes constituted “a grave violation of the ceasefire,” warning of “repercussions for the entire agreement” if they persisted.
**Israel**
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel “insisted on separating the war with Iran from the fighting in Lebanon in order to change the reality in Lebanon.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated at a news conference that Israel would “continue to strike” Lebanon, arguing that the US-Iran ceasefire did not apply to Hezbollah.
**Iran**
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a warning, stating it would respond to the attacks on Lebanon if Israel did not cease its assault. “We issue a firm warning to the United States, which violates treaties, and to its Zionist ally, its executioner: if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfil our duty and deliver a response,” the IRGC declared in a statement broadcast on Iran’s state-owned TV channel, referring to Israel. On X, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that the ceasefire terms were “clear and explicit: the US must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both.” He added, “The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the US court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”
**US**
President Donald Trump informed the US public broadcaster PBS that Lebanon was excluded from the ceasefire deal with Iran due to Hezbollah. He reportedly stated, “That’ll get taken care of too,” adding, “That’s a separate skirmish.” Vice President JD Vance told reporters that there was a “legitimate misunderstanding” regarding Iran’s stance on Lebanon’s inclusion in the ceasefire deal. This statement, however, contradicted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the primary intermediary in the US-Iran ceasefire talks, who had affirmed that the truce would include Lebanon. Vance also mentioned, without elaborating, that “The Israelis, as I understand it… have actually offered to, frankly, to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon, because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful.”
**Pakistan**
Pakistan’s Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, told Al Jazeera that the bombing of Lebanon “creates a negative atmosphere.” He emphasized Pakistan’s belief that all parties must adhere to the ceasefire agreement, warning that undermining the peace process “will not be in the interests of any party.” On Wednesday night, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also conveyed “deep concern” over ceasefire violations in Lebanon during a call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, as reported by the country’s foreign ministry. As the mediator of the two-week ceasefire, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had explicitly included Lebanon as part of the truce. Sharif had announced on X early Wednesday morning, “I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.”
**Qatar**
Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the “brutal series” of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which resulted in hundreds of deaths, labeling them a “dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the sister Lebanese Republic, the rules of international humanitarian law, and United Nations Security Council Resolution (1701).” A statement posted on X read, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities by compelling the Israeli occupation authorities to halt their barbaric massacres and repeated attacks on Lebanon, and to hold them accountable for respecting international covenants and laws.” The ministry also affirmed Qatar’s “full solidarity” with Lebanon.
**France**
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated on Thursday that the ceasefire agreed upon by Iran and the US must also extend to military actions in Lebanon, adding that France condemned the “massive” Israeli strikes carried out the previous day. Barrot further expressed his expectation for Iran to make a series of concessions as part of the peace talks scheduled to begin in Pakistan. He elaborated in an interview with Radio Station France International, “Iran must give up having nuclear weapons and the means to obtain them, must give up using its missiles and drones to threaten countries in the region, and give up supporting groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis who destabilize the region.”
**Egypt**
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized Israel’s attacks on Lebanon as a “premeditated intent” to undermine regional and international efforts aimed at de-escalation. The ministry further stated that the attacks represented an attempt by Israel to plunge the region into “total chaos.”
**Turkiye**
Turkiye’s foreign ministry issued a statement “firmly” condemning Israel’s attacks on Lebanon. The ministry asserted, “These attacks are worsening the humanitarian situation in the country.” It further urged, “The international community must act immediately to put an end to the Israeli occupation of Lebanon and protect civilians.”
**Spain**
In a post on X, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared Netanyahu’s “contempt for life and international law is intolerable” in the wake of the attacks. Sanchez stated, “It’s time to speak clearly: – Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire. – The international community must condemn this new violation of international law. – The European Union must suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. – And there must be no impunity for these criminal acts.” On Thursday, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares accused Israel of violating international law and the newly brokered two-week ceasefire by conducting airstrikes on Lebanon. Albares told lawmakers in the lower house, “Yesterday we saw how Israel, flouting the ceasefire and in violation of international law, dropped hundreds of bombs on Lebanon.”
**Italy**
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced he had spoken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, expressing solidarity for the “unjustified and unacceptable attacks he is suffering from Israel.” Tajani added, “We want to avoid there being a second Gaza. We will reiterate this concept to the Israeli Ambassador as well, whom I have summoned to the Farnesina. We condemn the bombings on the Lebanese civilian population, including the gunfire incidents suffered by our UNIFIL [UN Interim Force in Lebanon] troops, for which we continue to demand guarantees of total safety. We must absolutely avoid any further expansion of the conflict that would jeopardize the ceasefire in Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
**United Kingdom**
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the US-Iran ceasefire must include Lebanon, where Israel has continued its deadly attacks. In remarks quoted by Reuters, Cooper also insisted that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz must remain toll-free, countering reports that Iran intends to impose transit fees.
**Australia**
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared that his government “firmly believes” the ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran “has to apply to Lebanon as well.” Speaking to reporters in Brisbane, Albanese described the truce as “an important step forward,” but also “a fragile peace, [and] we want it to lead to an an agreement.” He added, “I know that many Australians are concerned about the events that are occurring in Lebanon. This is a matter of not just the impact there, but the impact that it’s having right around the world.”
**Syria**
Syria’s foreign ministry stated that Israel has violated international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of the UN Charter. In a statement shared on X, the ministry called for an immediate ceasefire and the full implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions to ensure the protection of civilians and respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty. Syria’s Foreign Ministry also reiterated its solidarity with “sisterly” Lebanon and urged the international community to “assume its responsibilities in confronting Israeli violations.”
**China**
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry affirmed that “Lebanon’s sovereignty and security should not be violated” and that “the safety of civilian lives and property must be guaranteed.” Beijing urged “a cooling down of the regional situation.”
**European Union**
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated on Thursday that the US-Iran ceasefire agreement should include Lebanon, adding that Hezbollah must disarm. Kallas posted on X, “Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon.” She further commented, “Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence.”
**United Nations**
On Wednesday, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, announced that the UN “strongly condemns” Israel’s attacks on Lebanon. Haq stated, “The United Nations strongly condemns the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties. We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels, cease hostilities, and use the new US-Iran ceasefire as an opportunity to prevent further loss of life.” UN rights chief Volker Turk described the attacks as “horrific.” In a statement, he said, “The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific. Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians.” On Thursday, Guterres reiterated his call, with his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric issuing a statement that “ongoing military activity in Lebanon” poses a “grave risk” to the ceasefire between the US and Iran.
**Red Cross**
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed its “outrage by the devastating death and destruction” witnessed in densely populated areas across Lebanon. An ICRC statement emphasized, “Any comprehensive agreement for the region must consider the safety, protection and dignity of civilians in Lebanon.” It added, “After more than five weeks of hostilities, people urgently need respite from the violence.”
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