Lebanon says at least 182 dead in Israeli strikes on south

Cars sit in traffic as they flee the southern villages amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes, in Sidon, Lebanon, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes on the south killed 182 people and wounded more than 700 Monday, in the worst toll by far in nearly a year of cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel.

"Israeli enemy strikes on southern towns and villages since this morning" have killed "182 people and wounded 727 others", the health ministry said, with casualties including "children, women and paramedics".

After nearly a year of tit-for-tat cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, the strikes since the weekend are the most intense since the outbreak of war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip last Oct. 7.

Israel said more than 300 Hezbollah sites had been targeted on Monday in dozens of strikes.

Israel military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari made a first-of-its-kind appeal to people in Lebanon, telling them to avoid potential targets linked to Hezbollah as strikes would "go on for the near future."

Hagari said Israel's military "will engage in (more) extensive and precise strikes against terror targets which have been embedded widely throughout Lebanon."

He urged civilians "to immediately move out of harm's way for their own safety."

Hezbollah, a powerful political and military force in Lebanon, says it is acting in "support" of Hamas.

Ahead of the annual General Assembly, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned of Lebanon becoming "another Gaza" and said it was "clear that both sides are not interested in a ceasefire" there.

Lebanon's official National News Agency reported "more than 80 air strikes in half...