At least 15 killed in most recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon
As we reported earlier, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said that at least 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes on two areas in the north of the country and one to the south of the capital.
The ministry said nine people were killed and 15 wounded in an “Israeli enemy strike” on the village of Maaysrah, located to the north of Beirut. The ministry also reported two people killed, four wounded and unidentified “body parts” recovered following an Israeli strike on Deir Bella, near the northern Lebanese town of Batroun.
Four people were also killed and 18 wounded in a strike on Barja, south of Beirut.
Israel also hit the southern city of Nabatieh, where eight people were reported wounded. Rescuers were assessing overnight the actual number of casualties from the attack and a massive fire that broke out after the air strike.
A rescuer searches for survivors at the site of an Israeli air strike that targeted the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Saturday night
Hezbollah says fighters battle Israeli ‘infiltration’ in border village of Ramyah
Hezbollah said its fighters detonated an explosive device and have clashed in gun battles with Israeli forces who tried to infiltrate Ramyah village in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel.
Hezbollah said on social media that it had inflicted casualties on the Israelis and that fighting was continuing around the village.
‘Huge fireball’: Intense Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon overnight
Nabatieh governorate is where I am, and Nabatieh town is just a few kilometres away. It’s one of the towns that we’ve driven through several times. That market, I am actually very familiar with, is now completely destroyed.
The fire was so bad that emergency services were not able to get in and see if there were bodies in the rubble.
But that was not the only major strike in southern Lebanon. We also had an air strike in Aita al-Shaab. Aita al-Shaab has been under intense bombardment since September 29 when the Israelis announced their ground invasion. But this was the biggest strike that I’ve seen, certainly since September 29.
It was a huge fireball.
Israel’s widespread bombing of Lebanon possible attempt to ‘fan sectarian strife’
This is now very concerning to common Lebanese people. Two things are going on here. Firstly, they are looking at the strikes in the north of the country.
A few days ago, we had a strike against a Palestinian refugee camp just outside the major town of Tripoli in the north. Then this attack in Deir Billa, which is in the Batroun governorate. These areas are far away from the southern suburbs of Beirut. They are far away from where I am standing right now [in Hasbaiyya].
This is now a concern to the Lebanese people because a lot of people who fled from this place have avoided Beirut, have avoided Tyre governorate, Sidon, and places like that because they were being bombed.
Now they are finding that those other places are being attacked as well. Israel keeps saying that this is a war against Hezbollah. But it also keeps saying to the Lebanese people – you have to topple Hezbollah.
It’s trying to fan sectarian strife within this country and that may well be why they are hitting farther and farther away.
