Over 270 dead after Israel's wave of air strikes: Lebanon

Israel unleashed its most widespread wave of air strikes against hundreds of Hezbollah targets on Sept 23, which the Lebanese health authorities said killed at least 274 people, making it the deadliest day in Lebanon in nearly a year of conflict.

After some of the heaviest cross-border exchanges of fire since the hostilities flared, Israel warned people in Lebanon to evacuate areas where it said the Iran-backed Hezbollah was storing weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country faces "complicated days" as it stepped up attacks against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and called on Israelis to stay united as the campaign unfolded.

"I promised that we would change the security balance, the balance of power in the north - that is exactly what we are doing," he said in a message following a situational assessment at military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said at least 274 people had been killed, including women, children and medics, and more than 1,000 injured in Israel's strikes on Sept 23. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X that more than 300 Hezbollah targets had been struck so far after an earlier warning that air strikes were imminent on houses in Lebanon where "Hezbollah hid weapons". Reuters could not independently verify Israel's allegation that Hezbollah had stored weapons in homes and villages.

In response, Hezbollah said it had launched rockets at Israeli military posts.

Another round of attacks was expected. Israeli aircraft were preparing to attack Hezbollah strategic weapons stashed in houses in Lebanon's Bekaa valley, the Israeli military spokesman said, calling on civilians to evacuate immediately.