Lebanon’s Civil Defense agency has reported that they retrieved 30 bodies from the debris of an apartment building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike the previous night. Rescue operations continued into Wednesday, but it remained uncertain how many individuals might still be trapped beneath the rubble or if any survivors had been located.

The airstrike, which occurred on Tuesday night, was executed without prior notification. The Israeli military has not issued any comment regarding the strike, leaving the intended target ambiguous.

In a sudden political change, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, an event that instigated protests nationwide. Gallant has been succeeded by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a seasoned member of the Cabinet and a staunch supporter of Netanyahu.

While Netanyahu has advocated for ongoing military action against Hamas, Gallant previously argued that military might was essential in paving the way for a potential diplomatic agreement that could facilitate the return of hostages held by the militant organization.

The Israel-Hamas conflict ignited following a significant attack by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023, that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals—mostly civilians—and the abduction of 250 people. In retaliation, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have led to over 43,000 fatalities, according to Palestinian health officials. These officials do not separate the casualties into civilians or combatants, but more than half of the reported deaths were women and children.

Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in 2023, the Lebanese Health Ministry has reported at least 3,000 deaths and around 13,500 injuries. A report from Lebanon’s crisis response unit indicated that between September 23 and November 1, 361,300 Syrians and over 177,800 Lebanese had fled into Syria.

In the latest updates, the Civil Defense service confirmed the recovery of 30 bodies from an apartment building in Barja, further illustrating the tragic human toll of the ongoing conflict. The area targeted was not one that had faced frequent assaults by the Israeli military previously, and officials expressed concern over potential additional victims still missing under the rubble.

Civil defense representative Mostafa Danaj remarked that while hopes were high that no one else remained trapped, neighbors had reported that additional individuals were unaccounted for.

Clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah have intensified over the past year, particularly since Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israeli territory on October 8, 2023, shortly after the brutal Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. Tensions have grown significantly on the Lebanese front since mid-September, leading to extensive aerial bombardments and a ground invasion by Israeli forces.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have caused the deaths of more than 3,000 people, with the majority of these casualties occurring since September 23. While Israel maintains that its operations target Hezbollah militants and their weapons, a substantial number of civilian lives have also been lost amidst the violence.