At least 13 people, including six children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on a town in southern Lebanon on Sunday, the country’s Health Ministry said. It was one of Israel’s deadliest attacks in the area in recent weeks.
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The increase in attacks in recent days has heightened concerns in Lebanon that Israel may launch a new military campaign, despite the ceasefire reached in June to end clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the bombardment of the southern town killed at least 13 people, including six children, on Monday, ranking it among the days with the highest death toll from Israeli attacks in recent weeks.
A woman who said she was related to at least three of the victims said the strike destroyed a residential complex as children were getting ready to go to school. The Israeli military said the target was armed personnel in Kfar Ruman.
Reuters journalists who arrived at the scene reported that schoolbooks lay among the rubble of the building. Throughout the morning, rescue teams used heavy equipment to retrieve bodies from the collapsed structure.
Residents said eight-year-old Mustafa Farhat lost his mother and grandparents in the bombardment. His father was still being searched for by rescue teams, while the child was receiving hospital treatment for his injuries. Mona Farhat, a relative, told Reuters that the residence was hit shortly before schools opened. “What are they aiming for? What is their objective? Do they want us to leave our land? They are mistaken,” she said.
The Health Ministry said the attack killed 12 people, including six children and three women. Earlier, state media had reported that the bombardment took place after midnight.
In another incident, an Israeli drone targeting a vehicle killed a medical assistant and wounded two other people, according to the ministry.
Before the strikes on Kfar Ruman, the Israeli military had not issued any notice ordering residents to evacuate. Israeli forces said they were verifying reports that the attack had hit “innocent people.”
The Israeli military also claimed that Hezbollah had launched two armed drones overnight toward soldiers near the Ali al-Taher ridge. This chain of hills in southeastern Lebanon is believed to contain an underground military complex built by the group.
Last week, Israel said it had “cleared” the area of Hezbollah fighters, which has not commented on the claims.
