Lebanon's Heartbreak: Thousands Dead, Over a Million Displaced Amid Israeli Bombardment

The death toll from Israel's bombardment has now neared 2,000 - each number a mother, father, child, and neighbor lost forever.

Over 1.2 million Lebanese have fled their homes in sheer desperation.

Families who once lived in peace now walk a path of uncertainty, most of them seeking shelter across the border in Syria carrying little more than memories of what they have left behind.

While Israel defends its actions, stating that its strikes are targeted and precise, the devastation in the Dahieh district of Beirut tells a different story.

Rubble and smoke now cover once-thriving neighborhoods, and photos from the scene show lives shattered beyond repair.

Explore Sputnik's photo gallery for more.

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A woman holds her cat in front of a destroyed building at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahieh, Beirut, Lebanon, October 2, 2024.

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Israel began a massive bombing campaign, codenamed Northern Arrows, in southern and eastern parts of Lebanon on September. Hezbollah, in turn, fired dozens of rockets toward northern Israel.

Above: Smoke rises from the site of the Israeli airstrike in Dahieh, Beirut, Lebanon.

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This escalation was preceded by a series of explosions of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon on September 17 and 18, which killed over 40 people and injured nearly 3,500 others.

Above: Civil defense workers extinguish a fire at the site of the Israeli airstrike in Dahieh.

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A destroyed car at the site of an Israeli airstrike.

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The airstrike which targeted Hezbollah's HQ in Beirut's Dahieh neighborhood destroyed six residential buildings, according to Lebanese media.

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Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahieh

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Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad reported that as of October 3, nearly 2,000 people had been killed and over 9,000 others injured in the Israeli bombardment.

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Hundreds of children, women and members of medical and emergency teams are among those killed, the minister said.