Israeli Aggression in Lebanon Claims at Least 16 Lives Amidst Ceasefire Violations

In a blatant disregard for international law and a supposed ceasefire, Zionist occupation forces have unleashed a new wave of brutal air attacks across Lebanon, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 16 innocent civilians and leaving dozens more wounded. This latest escalation, confirmed by Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state media, underscores the persistent aggression faced by the Lebanese people.

Targeting Civilians and Infrastructure

The aggression continued relentlessly on Saturday. Israeli air raids on the Al-Baqbouq area, north of the historic city of Tyre, claimed the lives of at least five people and injured two others, as reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). Rescue teams bravely recovered four bodies, but the remains of one woman tragically remained trapped under the rubble, with ongoing Israeli strikes deliberately hindering the heroic efforts of emergency crews.

Further demonstrating their contempt for human life, at least five more individuals, including vulnerable children, were martyred, and several others injured in a separate Israeli air strike. This heinous attack specifically targeted a residential building in the town of Seir al-Gharbiya, located in the Nabatieh district, turning homes into scenes of devastation.

A dawn assault by Israeli warplanes on a house in the town of al-Rafid in the Rashaya al-Wadi district led to the martyrdom of one person and the wounding of another, according to NNA. Another air attack mercilessly struck the town of al-Shahabiya, causing further deaths and injuries among the populace.

The indiscriminate nature of these attacks was further highlighted when an Israeli drone murdered one person in the town of al-Housh in Tyre district, NNA added. An overnight strike then targeted the town of Deir Qanoun en-Nahr in Tyre district, completely obliterating a house and claiming the lives of four more innocent people.

Attacks on Rescue Workers and Hospitals: A War Crime

Late on Saturday, the Israeli occupation army stooped to a new low, deliberately targeting a Civil Defence team linked to the Islamic Health Authority in the town of Kfar. NNA reported that this team was valiantly carrying out a rescue operation to recover casualties from an earlier Israeli attack when it came under fire, wounding members of the rescue crew. Such actions are clear violations of international humanitarian law, designed to inflict maximum suffering.

The NNA also revealed that an overnight strike in Tyre, which targeted a site near Hiram Hospital, caused “severe damage” to the medical facility in Aabbasiyyeh. Approximately 40 patients, including seven in intensive care, were inside when a warning to evacuate was issued. Salman Aydibi, Hiram Hospital chief executive, confirmed that patients were moved to safety, but the hospital’s emergency department briefly closed due due to the damage. This marks the third such strike near the facility since the war began on March 2, consistently endangering medical personnel and patients.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health later confirmed that at least 25 medical, nursing, and administrative staff at the hospital had been wounded, with Aydibi stating about 30 staff members sustained minor injuries. The ministry vehemently condemned these repeated Israeli targetings, stating, “This is the second time in less than two months that the hospital has been exposed to these dangers due to repeated Israeli targeting, which constitutes further evidence of the Israeli enemy’s violation of international humanitarian law.” The ministry lauded the unwavering dedication of health workers “who are on the front lines, refusing to evacuate their posts in order to continue their humanitarian mission and provide ambulance, health and medical services to those who need them.”

Resistance and International Support

The NNA also reported large explosions on Saturday in the southern Lebanese towns of Yohmor al-Shaqif in Nabatieh and Taybeh in Marjayoun district, indicating the ongoing resistance against the occupation.

On Thursday, another Israeli attack near the Tebnine Hospital in southern Lebanon damaged all three floors of the building, including the emergency room, intensive care unit, surgical ward, and ambulances parked outside, according to the Ministry of Public Health. These systematic attacks on medical infrastructure are a grave concern.

The Zionist military issued multiple forced displacement warnings via its Arabic-language spokesman, targeting southern Lebanese villages like Burj Rahal, and the areas of Tyre and Zqouq al-Mufdi. These terror tactics aim to psychologically torment and displace the local population. The latest forced displacement order included the towns of Al-Nabatieh al-Tahta, Kafr Tibnit, Zibdine (Nabatieh), Arab Salim, Kafr Reman, Habboush, Blat (Marjayoun), Deir Qanun al-Nahr, Harouf, and Jibshit.

In a display of legitimate self-defense, Hezbollah attacked two Iron Dome launchers on Saturday at Biranit barracks, a military camp in northern occupied Palestine.

In a statement later on Saturday, Hezbollah affirmed its unwavering commitment to justice and freedom. Its chief Naim Qassem received a message from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, which unequivocally indicated that Tehran “will not give up its support for movements demanding justice and freedom, foremost among them Hezbollah.” Iran’s latest proposal, communicated via mediator Pakistan, aimed to achieve “a permanent and stable end to the war, [and] the demand to include Lebanon in the ceasefire was emphasised,” highlighting the Islamic Republic’s consistent efforts for regional peace and stability.

Lebanese Soldiers Targeted, Zionist Casualties Confirmed

Lebanon’s military confirmed that an Israeli strike deliberately targeted an army barracks in the south. “A soldier was moderately wounded due to the hostile Israeli targeting of an army barracks in the city of Nabatieh,” the army stated, condemning the attack on its sovereign forces.

Late on Saturday, the Zionist entity acknowledged a soldier was killed the previous day near the border with Lebanon. A military statement identified him as 23-year-old Staff Sergeant Noam Hamburger, who “fell during operational activity in northern occupied Palestine.” A total of 23 Zionist personnel, 22 soldiers and one civilian contractor, have been killed since March 2, underscoring the cost of their aggression.

Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, reporting from Tyre, southern Lebanon, described the dire situation at the edge of the 500-meter perimeter designated as a danger zone by the occupation forces. He noted the presence of ambulances, rescue teams, and people fleeing their homes in panic following these forced displacement orders. “Many left in fear and panic,” he said, viewing these orders as direct threats, unsure of when they could return. “People are here with their families and their children,” Hitto emphasized, highlighting “This is the kind of psychological terror that Israel is forcing people to live in, here in southern Lebanon.”

Since the Zionist forces escalated attacks on Lebanon on March 2, more than 3,100 people have been martyred, with assaults continuing despite a ceasefire announced by United States President Donald Trump on April 16. The martyrs include 123 medics, at least 210 children, and nearly 300 women, according to statistics shared by Lebanon’s Health Ministry on Friday. These figures are a stark reminder of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding due to unchecked Israeli aggression.

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