Israel has destroyed a bridge in southern Lebanon and dropped leaflets over Beirut warning the country faces the same scale of destruction visited upon Gaza, as its military campaign against Hezbollah enters a devastating new phase.The Zrarieh Bridge spanning the Litani River was struck early on Friday, with the Israeli military claiming Hezbollah fighters were using it to move between the country’s north and south, though it offered no evidence to support this.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIt marked the first time Israel had openly acknowledged striking civilian infrastructure since the current offensive began.Defence Minister Israel Katz made clear more such strikes would follow, saying the Lebanese government would face “increasing costs through damage to infrastructure and loss of territory” for as long as Hezbollah remained armed.Israeli attacks on Friday also hit areas of Beirut not previously targeted in this conflict. A drone struck a residential building in the Bourj Hammoud district in the city’s northeastern suburbs, while separate strikes hit the Jnah and Nabaa neighbourhoods.Nine people, including five children, were killed in Arki near Sidon, and eight more died in the Fawwar area. An ambulance was also struck in the south.Israel’s latest offensive on Lebanon was triggered on March 2, after Hezbollah launched drones and rockets into northern Israel following Israel’s attacks on Iran which killed the Iranian supreme leader.Since then, Israeli attacks have killed at least 773 people and wounded 1,933 more, including 103 childr …
