22 Killed, 124 Injured in Israeli Attacks on Civilians in Southern Lebanon
The death toll from recent Israeli airstrikes on civilians attempting to return to their homes in southern Lebanon has risen to 22, including six women, while 124 others have been injured, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.
The death toll from recent Israeli airstrikes on civilians attempting to return to their homes in southern Lebanon has risen to 22, including six women, while 124 others have been injured, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The victims were targeted as they gathered in the village of Mays al-Jabal in southern Lebanon.
Among the injured were 12 women and a paramedic from the Islamic Scout Association who was on a humanitarian rescue mission. The paramedic was wounded while assisting civilians in the aftermath of the Israeli attack.
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Israeli Forces Advance on Civilians in Mays al-Jabal
A Lebanese military source told Xinhua that Israeli forces, supported by a Merkava tank and bulldozer, advanced on a group of civilians in Mays al-Jabal, firing heavily in an attempt to disperse the crowd. The military also blocked a key road leading to the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) located in Naqoura, southern Lebanon.
Further attacks included Israeli forces firing flares over Mays al-Jabal and the Arqoub Heights in eastern Lebanon, as well as machine-gun fire directed toward Mount Sadaneh, west of Shebaa in southeastern Lebanon.
Ceasefire Agreement and Continued Strikes
The strikes come at the end of a 60-day deadline for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territories, which had been set under a ceasefire agreement reached in late November following intense conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. Under the agreement, the Lebanese army was to take control of the areas south of the Litani River, ensuring security and preventing the presence of militants and weapons.
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Despite the ceasefire, Israeli military operations have continued, resulting in civilian casualties and injuries in Lebanon’s border areas.
Earlier Attacks: Death Toll Rises
Earlier on Sunday, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported that the death toll from Israeli gunfire targeting crowds of Lebanese trying to return to their homes had initially reached 11, with 83 others injured. The majority of the victims were civilians attempting to return to their homes along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel, with one additional soldier reported dead in al-Dhahira, also in southern Lebanon.
The ongoing violence in the region has led to widespread concern over the fragile peace and the escalating humanitarian crisis.
