At least 60 die in Israeli air strikes on Lebanon

LEBANON yesterday suffered one of its bloodiest days of the war after at least 60 people were killed in a series of Israeli air strikes that sparked "a ring of fire".

- Mark Reynolds

Two children were among the dead following the aerial attacks which targeted 16 areas in the Baalbek region, local officials said.

The country's health ministry said 58 people were also wounded in the strikes which were mainly focused on Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley.

Officials said desperate rescue efforts were still under way in the valley, which is known to be a Hezbollah stronghold.

The attacks came on the day the terror group elected Sheikh Naim Qassem as its new leader to replace assassinated Hassan Nasrallah.

Pleading

But on the ground, the devastation from Israel's blitz continued.