At least 18 people have been killed in an Israeli air strike that hit an apartment building in northern Lebanon. The attack took place in the Aito village in the Christian-majority Zgharta district. This incident marks the first time the area has been attacked in a year of hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
The strike came a day after a Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in northern Israel killed four soldiers and wounded dozens. This attack was the deadliest known Hezbollah attack since the recent escalation of the conflict. More than one million people have been forced to flee their homes in Lebanon as a result of the fighting.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing rockets towards the city of Haifa in northern Israel. The Israeli army stated that most of the rockets were intercepted. Meanwhile, the Israeli military also claimed to have killed the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force in an air strike in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon.
The European Union has condemned Israeli attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has witnessed multiple violations and attacks in recent days. The force involves about 9,500 troops from various nations and plays a vital role in maintaining stability in southern Lebanon. Spain and Ireland have requested the suspension of a free trade deal with Israel in response to the attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began in October 2023 and has escalated in recent weeks, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. The international community has expressed concern over the increasing violence and called for an end to the hostilities.
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