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Lebanon Death Toll from War Rises to 217 as Israel Presses Strikes

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on March 6, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on March 6, 2026. (AFP)
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Lebanon Death Toll from War Rises to 217 as Israel Presses Strikes

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on March 6, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs on March 6, 2026. (AFP)

Israeli air strikes battered Lebanon on Friday, sending the death toll since Monday up to at least 217, according to Lebanese authorities, as the premier warned "a humanitarian disaster is looming". 

The Israeli military renewed its strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs Friday afternoon, Lebanese state media reported, following night raids that left heavy damage in the area after residents fled en masse in response to Israeli evacuation warnings. 

Israel says it has killed "over 70" members of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. 

A live broadcast by AFP showed plumes of smoke rising above buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, a typically densely populated area where Hezbollah holds sway. 

Speaking to foreign ambassadors Friday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said "the consequences of this displacement, at the humanitarian and political level, may well be unprecedented". 

According to Lebanese authorities, at least 217 people have been killed and 798 wounded since Israel's expanded attacks on Monday, with more than 95,000 people displaced. 

"Our country has been drawn into a devastating war that we did not seek and did not choose," Salam said. 

"Those who were forced to leave their homes are not and should not be held responsible for the suffering inflicted on them," he added. 

On Monday, the Lebanese government banned Hezbollah's military activities after it launched rockets on Israel to "avenge" Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, pulling Lebanon into the Middle East war. 

On Friday, in a message posted in Hebrew on the group's Telegram channels, Hezbollah told Israelis to evacuate all localities "located within 5 kilometers of the border". 

Israel has continued to strike dozens of areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, including Sidon, where five people were killed according to Lebanon's health ministry. 

An AFP photographer at the scene saw extensive damage in the targeted apartment and shattered glass on the street. 

Rescue workers meanwhile recovered a body from under the rubble and collected body parts scattered around the area. 

Further south in Tyre, home to a UNESCO World Heritage site, the NNA reported a major strike. 

- Southern suburbs - 

The Israeli military announced Friday that it had carried out 26 waves of strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs in the past four days. 

It added that Hezbollah had fired around 70 rockets toward Israel since midnight, and that the Lebanese group had launched coordinated attacks with Iran on Thursday. 

Rubble and dust covered a main road in one neighborhood of Beirut's suburbs Friday, while the buildings surrounding it were heavily damaged, AFPTV footage showed. 

After the Israeli evacuation warning on Thursday afternoon, there was a mass exodus from the area, whose population is estimated at between 600,000 and 800,000. 

Mohammad, 39, a resident of the southern suburbs, fled with his family when the bombing began on Monday. 

Returning on Thursday to check on his home and collect belongings just minutes before the Israeli evacuation warning, he said he "went down and found total chaos". 

Fatima al-Masri, 45, also escaped the southern suburbs and has been sheltering in central Beirut's Martyrs' Square for four days. 

"We want to eat and drink... we want to go to the bathroom," she said, adding that she "came here because the schools are full". 

- Strikes on south - 

Since Monday, Israel has ordered the evacuation of hundreds of square kilometers of southern Lebanon and sent ground forces across the border. 

The Israeli army chief on Thursday said he ordered forces deployed in southern Lebanon to expand their control inside south Lebanon. 

Hezbollah, for its part, claimed on Friday new attacks against northern Israel, including one the day before on a naval base in Haifa. 

Hezbollah also announced at dawn on Friday that it had targeted a cluster of Israeli vehicles advancing toward the town of Khiam, about six kilometers from the border, and "forced them to retreat". 

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Arab World

Syria Establishes ‘Capital Security Service’ to Bolster Damascus Security

Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab (C) inspects an area near the Four Seasons Hotel following two blasts in Damascus on July 7, 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab (C) inspects an area near the Four Seasons Hotel following two blasts in Damascus on July 7, 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
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Syria Establishes ‘Capital Security Service’ to Bolster Damascus Security

Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab (C) inspects an area near the Four Seasons Hotel following two blasts in Damascus on July 7, 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
Syria's Interior Minister Anas Khattab (C) inspects an area near the Four Seasons Hotel following two blasts in Damascus on July 7, 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)

Syria established a special security service apparatus for its capital, Damascus, in a bid to bolster security, uncover sleeper cells and thwart attempts to destabilize the city, a senior Syrian military official told Asharq Al-Awsat Tuesday.

The official told the daily that the Capital Security Service was established and Brig. Gen. Abdul Aziz Hilal al-Ahmad appointed as its chief to “bolster security in Damascus through a more targeted approach and uncover any sleeper cells seeking to undermine the capital’s security.”

The official said he did not believe Damascus faced any immediate threat, but warned that “sabotage cells” continued to seek to undermine security in the capital, driven by foreign agendas and ties. He also accused Israel and Iran of seeking to destabilize Syria by backing local sabotage groups operating across several provinces.

The official stressed that Damascus hosts foreign embassies, diplomatic missions and offices of international and United Nations agencies and organizations, making it a key center of state sovereignty. Any breach of the capital’s security would undermine the state’s credibility and authority, he said, adding that the new service was intended to thwart attempts to unsettle the city.

Brig. Gen. Abdul Aziz Hilal al-Ahmad previously headed internal security in Latakia province, where he led operations against armed groups and former military and security figures linked to Bashar al-Assad’s regime after taking office on May 25, 2025.

No official decree announcing al-Ahmad’s appointment has been issued, though security and military sources confirmed it to several media outlets, including Asharq Al-Awsat. On Saturday, the Interior Ministry named Brig. Gen. Nayef al-Ibrahim as his successor in Latakia.

Since the ouster of the former regime, Syria’s new authorities have worked to rebuild and modernize the security sector with regional and international support. However, repeated security incidents in Damascus over the past two years have underscored persistent instability and security gaps, with experts saying much work remains to prevent further bombings.

Wael Alwan, executive director of the Jusoor Center for Studies, told Asharq Al-Awsat that authorities were working to restore security and stability across Syria, but intelligence reports pointed to activity in Damascus by Iran-backed Hezbollah and affiliated local groups, as well as ISIS.

He said previous attacks by ISIS cells and remnants of the former regime appeared aimed more at generating media attention than striking strategic security, political or military targets, citing rocket fire toward the Mazzeh area and explosions during the French president’s visit.

Alwan said Iran-backed groups, ISIS and Israeli interference sought to portray Syria as unstable and its government as unable to maintain security, undermining recovery by deterring investment, curbing tourism and deepening economic and social pressures. He added that Iran stood to benefit from chaos, which could create opportunities for its allied militias and former regime loyalists to return, rebuild their networks and expand their influence.

Alwan said the establishment of the Capital Security Service reflected the government’s cautious approach and efforts to preempt security threats by strengthening surveillance and intelligence capabilities to track former regime loyalists, ISIS cells and Iran-backed operatives, and thwart attacks before they occur.

For his part, Syrian political and security researcher Diaa Qaddour told Asharq Al-Awsat that the appointment was part of a broader restructuring of security agencies following the ouster of the former regime, reflecting a focus on securing the capital against threats from ISIS and dormant Iran-linked cells to reinforce state authority and prevent chaos.

Arab World

Baghdad Accuses Tehran, Washington of ‘Strangling’ the Iraqi Economy

The Prime Minister lays the foundation stone for the “Watan Initiative” in Nineveh on Monday (PM's Media Office)
The Prime Minister lays the foundation stone for the “Watan Initiative” in Nineveh on Monday (PM's Media Office)
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Baghdad Accuses Tehran, Washington of ‘Strangling’ the Iraqi Economy

The Prime Minister lays the foundation stone for the “Watan Initiative” in Nineveh on Monday (PM's Media Office)
The Prime Minister lays the foundation stone for the “Watan Initiative” in Nineveh on Monday (PM's Media Office)

Iraqi government spokesman Haider Al-Aboudi has accused both Iran and the United States of “strangling” Iraq’s economy by failing to grant exemptions that would allow Iraqi oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a television interview, Al-Aboudi said: “Iraq’s economy is living under the burden of a suffocating blockade, with a complete absence of any Iranian or American response to granting exemptions for oil exports.”

Al-Aboudi also launched a sharp attack on the government of former Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani, accusing it of causing losses of nearly 36 trillion Iraqi dinars to the state treasury through its 2023 decision to reduce the exchange rate from 1,470 dinars per U.S. dollar to 1,320 dinars per dollar.

His remarks come as the current government seeks to counter criticism over its decision, announced last Tuesday, to devalue the dinar to 1,520 per dollar.

The decision to alter the exchange rate continues to generate significant debate as the government has failed to close the gap between the official rate of 1,520 dinars per dollar and the parallel market rate of 1,630 dinars. This discrepancy has contributed to substantial increases in the prices of many essential goods, including food items.

The exchange-rate issue has also sparked broad political reactions. Nouri Al-Maliki, leader of the State of Law Coalition, called in a post on X for citizens not to use the dollar exchange-rate adjustment as a pretext for stirring concern.

Despite measures introduced by the government to curb soaring prices, including injecting additional dollars into the market and offering construction materials to citizens through installment-payment schemes, prices have remained high. This has exposed the government to further public and political criticism.

Legal Challenge

Observers do not rule out the possibility that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi could face legal scrutiny. Saud al-Saadi, head of the parliamentary Huqooq Bloc, has filed an official appeal before the Federal Supreme Court, challenging Cabinet Resolution No. 544 concerning the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Iraqi dinar.

Speaking to the press on Monday, al-Saadi said that the Court had received the appeal and informed him that an official hearing date would be scheduled at a later time.

Denial of Pursuing Currency Speculators

In a related development, Al-Aboudi stated that the prime minister had “categorically rejected any intervention by security agencies or the use of police measures to regulate the market.”

The denial came in response to an audio recording in which a citizen called the Interior Ministry’s complaints hotline and asked whether complaints or reports could be filed against exchange companies selling dollars at the parallel-market rate of 1,650 dinars, compared with the official rate of 1,520 dinars per dollar. A complaints official reportedly answered in the affirmative.

On Sunday evening, both the Security Media Cell and the Ministry of Defense quickly denied that the complaints official’s response reflected government policy.

In a statement, the Security Media Cell said that directives from Commander-in-Chief Ali al-Zaidi emphasized that the dollar exchange-rate issue is a financial and economic matter, not a security matter.

The statement stressed that exchange rates are governed by market mechanisms and the laws of supply and demand and fall under the jurisdiction of financial and monetary authorities, foremost among them the Central Bank of Iraq.

The statement further underscored that there are no instructions for security forces to intervene in market activity or influence exchange rates, noting that their role is limited to enforcing the law and carrying out judicial orders issued by competent authorities.

It added that any action taken against violators or individuals engaged in illegal foreign-currency transactions would be conducted in accordance with established legal and judicial procedures and in coordination with the Central Bank of Iraq, which is responsible for supervising financial and banking institutions, regulating exchange companies, monitoring compliance with relevant regulations, and taking the necessary administrative measures to safeguard financial transactions and support duly licensed firms.

The Security Media Cell called on citizens, merchants, exchange companies, and market participants to remain reassured and continue conducting their lawful financial and commercial activities normally.

The complaints official’s remarks had reportedly alarmed exchange companies, which often have to deal according to prevailing market rates rather than the official rate. Some industry workers said the comments actually contributed to driving exchange rates higher in the parallel market rather than lowering them.

Personal Conduct

As a result of the confusion and concern caused by the audio recording, the Interior Ministry issued a statement clarifying the circumstances surrounding the phone call made by a citizen to an employee of the Central Response and Control Directorate (911), who had been asked about dollar buying and selling rates at exchange companies.

The ministry stated that the employee’s response constituted “a personal action” and did not represent the ministry’s official position, as he was not authorized to provide information or statements on matters outside the scope of his assigned duties and responsibilities.

The ministry also confirmed that it had taken the necessary legal measures against the employee in accordance with applicable regulations and instructions, reaffirming its commitment to professional discipline within the public service.

Arab World

EU Establishes New Lebanon Support Mission

Kaja Kallas, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rajji (not pictured) at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, 08 October 2026. (EPA)
Kaja Kallas, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rajji (not pictured) at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, 08 October 2026. (EPA)
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EU Establishes New Lebanon Support Mission

Kaja Kallas, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rajji (not pictured) at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, 08 October 2026. (EPA)
Kaja Kallas, the European Union's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, speaks during a joint press conference with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rajji (not pictured) at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry in Beirut, Lebanon, 08 October 2026. (EPA)

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to establish a new support mission in Lebanon aimed at advising and training the country's military and internal security forces.

The mission "will advise and assist the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces to strengthen territorial control, border security, and internal security," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a ‌statement, adding ‌that "Europe is invested in Lebanon's ‌future".

The ⁠Council of the ⁠EU said the mission would have an initial mandate of three years and include both a civilian and military pillar.

"The military pillar will provide advisory support and training to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces, for ⁠border security and maritime security," ‌it said, while the civilian ‌pillar would provide training for Lebanon's Internal Security ‌Forces in areas such as cybercrime and anti-smuggling.

Kallas ‌said last month that more than 10 EU members were willing to contribute resources and people to the mission.

More operational planning is expected before ‌the bloc makes a decision to launch the mission's work. An EU ⁠official ⁠said on Monday that the bloc hoped to deploy personnel under the new mission in the coming months.

The mission stems from the EU studying ways to strengthen Lebanese forces to help free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming the Hezbollah group.

The mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon is set to expire at the end of 2026, when it is expected to begin a year-long drawdown and withdrawal.