7 killed in Israel after ‘deadliest’ airstrikes by Lebanon's Hezbollah, says IDF

Seven people were killed in northern Israel on Thursday after strikes by Hezbollah from Lebanon that the Israeli military described as the “deadliest cross-border” airstrikes since the onset of the conflict between the two sides.

Among the deceased, four were foreign workers and three were Israelis. Meanwhile, 24 people were killed in Lebanon after Israeli airstrikes targeted the Hezbollah militant group, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing health officials in the country.

“Hezbollah rockets killed 7 innocent civilians inside Israel today. We will not let Hezbollah’s deadly attacks go unanswered,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on X.

Back-to-back rocket attacks struck Israel, with projectiles from Lebanon hitting an agricultural area in Metula, Israel's northernmost town, resulting in the deaths of four foreign workers and an Israeli farmer, according to local officials quoted by AP.

Shortly after, the Israeli military said another barrage of approximately 25 rockets from Lebanon hit an olive grove in a suburb of the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, killing two others and injuring two more.

US diplomats are currently in the region advocating for cease-fires in both Lebanon and Gaza, aiming to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East as the Biden administration approaches its final months. Pressure has been mounting ahead of the U.S. elections next week

Israel targets Beirut

Israel conducted airstrikes early Friday on the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking the first strikes in that area in nearly a week, Reuters reported.

On Thursday, Israel targeted weapons storage facilities and command centres used by Hezbollah's Radwan Forces and its munitions unit in Syria. In a post on X, the IDF said, “A short while ago, following IDF intelligence, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) struck weapons storage facilities and command centers used by Hezbollah's Radwan Forces and its Munitions Unit in the area of Al-Qusayr, Syria.”

Israeli military added, “Hezbollah's Munitions Unit is responsible for storing weapons inside Lebanon and has recently expanded its activities into the town of Al-Qusayr, near the Syrian-Lebanese border. With this, Hezbollah is establishing logistical infrastructure to facilitate the transfer of weapons from Syria into Lebanon via border crossings.”

Strikes in northern Gaza

In northern Gaza, Israeli forces targeted one of the last operational hospitals, according to the World Health Organization, destroying essential supplies delivered by the United Nations agency to the facility. The strikes ignited a fire that affected the dialysis unit, damaged water tanks, and harmed the surgical building, injuring four medics who were attempting to put out the flames, the Associated Press reported.

The Israeli military did not respond to requests for comments regarding the hospital strike, which it had raided the previous week, alleging it was sheltering Hamas militants. Gaza's Health Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks on the hospital and called on the international community to protect medical facilities in the region.

On Thursday, Israeli bulldozers caused damage to the office of the UN aid agency United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Nur Shams camp in the West Bank, according to the agency's chief, who said that the office was severely damaged and rendered unusable. However, the Israeli military issued a statement denying responsibility for any damage to the building.

Israel on Monday enacted a law prohibiting UNRWA from operating within the country, a move that could affect its operations in war-torn Gaza. The lawmakers who proposed the law cited the alleged involvement of some UNRWA staff in the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, as well as claims that some staff members are affiliated with Hamas and other armed groups.

(With inputs from agencies)

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