Israeli airstrike kills six in southern Lebanon as violence escalates across region
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, at least six people were killed and three others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the city of Nabatieh, deep in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
The Israeli warplane targeted the al-Kfour Valley area in the Nabatieh district, resulting in significant destruction. Local media outlets shared video footage showing the aftermath of the strike and the efforts of civil defense teams to rescue the wounded and clear the rubble.
On Friday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported one death and another injury in an Israeli airstrike on the town of Aitaroun, also in southern Lebanon.
The exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel has continued since Hamas launched its "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation on October 7, triggering a devastating war on the Gaza Strip.
The daily cross-border exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel continue to impact civilians on both sides of the border, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) office.
OCHA reported on Saturday that 110,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since October, 35% of them are children, and nearly 150,000 people remain within the 10-kilometer-wide Blue Line, the border area separating Lebanon and Israel.
OCHA warned that 23% of Lebanon's population now faces food insecurity, up from 19% in March 2024. The office stressed that while it and other UN partners are intensifying relief efforts supporting the government's response, additional funding is urgently needed.
The humanitarian partners require $110 million to meet the ongoing needs of those affected by the conflict through the end of the year.
Before the escalation in October 2023, an estimated 3.7 million people in Lebanon already needed humanitarian assistance. However, the Lebanon Response Plan for 2024 is only 25% funded, with $670 million received out of the $2.72 billion required.
In addition the UN's website reported that since October 2023, 16 attacks on healthcare facilities have been documented, resulting in the deaths of 21 healthcare workers during the hostilities, as reported by the World Health Organization. Significant damage has also been inflicted on southern Lebanon's water, electricity, telecommunications, and road infrastructure.
