Netanyahu Orders Israel To Intensify Strikes To Crush Hezbollah In Lebanon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to intensify strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon to “crush” the armed group, announcing the order in a video released on Telegram on Monday night.

Israeli airstrikes hit southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley as Lebanon marked Liberation Day, commemorating the departure of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after an 18-year occupation in 2000.

Al Jazeera

Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center said the cumulative toll of Israel’s assault on Lebanon since March 2 had reached 3,185 dead and 9,633 wounded by Monday.

UNICEF said Lebanon has faced “une succession de crises” over decades, and it warned that since fin février 2026 a new cycle of violence has put “la sécurité et l’avenir de millions d’enfants en péril.”

After Netanyahu’s order, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel must “put an end to the threat of Hezbollah’s explosive drones” and added that a special budget of approximately 2 billion shekels ($692m) had been approved for technological solutions.

Smotrich also said, “For every explosive drone, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut,” while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the return to an “intense war” in Lebanon.

Al Jazeera

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the escalation announcement sparked an exodus of people from the southern suburbs of Beirut, described as a major Hezbollah stronghold.

In parallel, UNICEF said it had supported the Ministry of Health and hospitals by “acheminé plus de 140 tonnes de médicaments essentiels” during recent weeks.

UNICEF reported that it supported the mise en place de 145 centres de santé, providing first-need care to près de 35 000 personnes and vaccinating plus de 18 000 enfants.

The agency said it had brought vital care to 184 nouveau-nés et enfants admis en soins intensifs and to 19 enfants grièvement blessés, while also enabling displaced people to access potable water and hygiene services through 289 abris.

UNICEF added that it had repaired water and sanitation networks with partners and delivered 365 000 litres de carburant to ensure access for 2,8 millions de personnes.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center said the cumulative toll since March 2 had reached 3,185 dead and 9,633 injured, underscoring the scale of the harm UNICEF said threatens children’s safety and future.