Lebanon: More than 100 raids within ten minutes – and the United Nations calls for an immediate halt to the escalation

In a video briefing from the capital, Beirut, to reporters in New York, Risa said: “We woke up this morning to news about… CeasefireNaturally, an atmosphere of uncertainty prevailed; The most prominent question was whether this moratorium would apply to Lebanon, and how it would be done. Of course, many voices rose, expressing their hope that the agreement would also include Lebanon.

However, developments on the ground quickly took a different direction, as the UN official pointed out that “The sound that has dominated the atmosphere in Beirut for the past three hours is the sound of ambulances roaming the streets without stopping.”

He explained that an air strike targeted a café on the Sidon Corniche early on, killing eight people. It was also reported that more than a dozen other air strikes occurred during the day, before the major wave of escalation began.

Reza added: “At approximately 2:15 p.m. local time, the Israeli army announced that it had carried out more than a hundred air strikes within about ten minutes,” Describing the scene as “Very dramatic” Where he personally saw columns of smoke covering the sky of Beirut, confirming that “The level and scale of these raids is enormous.”

A massive humanitarian tragedy affecting civilians

Although accurate statistics are not yet available, Risa believes that it is “Hundreds of people may have died”Pointing out that hospitals are filling up with wounded people and urgent calls for blood donations are escalating throughout the country.

Riza said that some residents began moving towards the south after news of the ceasefire circulated, adding: “But the government sent a very firm message urging citizens not to act.”

The death toll and displaced people

He pointed out that the death toll since March 2 reached 1,530 people, including 130 children, with 461 other children injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, describing the situation as… “A massive humanitarian tragedy affecting civilians.”

He also pointed out that displacement has reached unprecedented levels, with the number of displaced people approaching 1.2 million people – that is, about 20% of Lebanon’s population – explaining that tens of thousands reside in collective shelter centers, while hundreds of thousands live within host communities or informal gatherings amid difficult conditions.

The UN official called for urgent action along three tracks:

First, there is a need to reduce the escalation immediately, as “there are no military solutions,” stressing the importance of dialogue to prevent further suffering.

🔹Secondly, he stressed the need to respect international humanitarian law, including protecting civilians, infrastructure, and workers in the humanitarian and medical fields, and ensuring unimpeded access to aid.

Thirdly, he stressed the urgent need for funding, saying: “We urgently need support, especially since the level of needs among the affected groups is enormous at the present time.”