BEIRUT: Israel launched multiple airstrikes in Lebanon on Sunday, killing at least three people and injuring nine in a densely populated area near Sidon, Lebanon’s health ministry reported.
The Israeli strikes have caused an increased number of casualties across the region, with Lebanese health authorities confirming over 1,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since September.
The health ministry reported that Israel’s strike on Haret Saida, a town near Sidon, resulted in civilian casualties, with the death toll expected to rise. Another airstrike on Ghaziyeh, south of Sidon, struck a residential building. A child was pulled from the rubble, according to eyewitnesses. In Tebnin, Bint Jbeil district, further strikes caused significant damage to a hospital.
While Israel issued a prior warning for potential strikes in the Baalbek area, which houses UNESCO-designated Roman ruins, other targeted regions received no such alerts. In Baalbek, at least three strikes were reported.
Since September 23, Israel has intensified air raids and ground operations in southern Lebanon.
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Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Saturday that Israel and the United States would face “a tooth-breaking response” for strikes against Iran and its allies. Meanwhile, the United States dispatched B-52 bombers to the Middle East as a show of strength and a warning to Iran.
In Gaza, intense fighting also continued as Israeli forces targeted Jabalia. Israel’s assault has led to significant casualties, with Gaza’s health ministry, which the United Nations recognizes as a reliable source, reporting over 43,341 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 7, 2023.
The humanitarian crisis has worsened in Gaza as UN agencies described the territory as “under siege”. On Sunday, residents of central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah received food aid distributed by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, amidst fears that Israeli restrictions on UNRWA operations could further disrupt humanitarian efforts.
