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Israeli attacks on eastern Lebanon village kill at least 12 people
TL;DR
Israeli air attacks in eastern Lebanon's Mashghara village have killed at least 12 people and injured others, as tensions rise against a fragile ceasefire. The Israeli military targeted over 100 Hezbollah sites following Prime Minister Netanyahu's orders for intensified strikes.
Key points
- Israeli air attacks killed at least 12 people in eastern Lebanon
- Attacks targeted the village of Mashghara in the Bekaa Valley
- Israeli military struck over 100 Hezbollah infrastructure sites
- Netanyahu authorized intensified strikes against Hezbollah
- Ceasefire is under pressure following the recent attacks
Mentioned in this story
HezbollahBenjamin NetanyahuMashgharaBekaa Valley
Israeli air attacks have killed at least 12 people and wounded others in eastern Lebanon, state media reported, as a fragile ceasefire comes under growing strain.
The air attacks hit the village of Mashghara in the Bekaa Valley late on Monday, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported on Tuesday.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it struck more than 100 Hezbollah infrastructure sites and “terrorists” in the Bekaa Valley and across southern Lebanon in the wave of attacks.
The attacks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had authorised more intensive strikes against Hezbollah across Lebanon, putting further pressure on a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect last month.
Reporting from Mashghara, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said there were at least 10 attacks in the span of half an hour on an area with residential buildings.
“There’s no final death toll because people remain missing. Excavators are still digging through the rubble,” she reported.
According to Khodr, the attack was seen “as part of a pressure campaign by Israel against Hezbollah”.
“The Israeli military has been trying to change the security situation and to pressure Hezbollah to stop using its explosive drones that have been targeting Israeli troops occupying southern Lebanon and Israeli positions in northern Israel.”
Elsewhere, NNA reported that the southern Lebanese towns of Arnoun, Yohmor al-Shaqif, Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Mayfadoun were under heavy artillery bombardment by Israeli forces, also reaching the vicinity of the Beaufort Castle in Nabatieh district.
Mayfadoun had been subjected to a series of Israeli air attacks since dawn, while Shahour and Srifa in the Tyre district in southern Lebanon are being subjected to shelling, NNA said.
Lebanese civil defence workers search through the rubble of a building following an Israeli attack at dawn in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre [AFP]
Moreover, Al Jazeera reported air attacks on the towns of Kawthariyat al-Ruz, Sarafina, Kafr and Majdal Selem, all in southern Lebanon.
Q&A
How many people were killed in the Israeli air attacks on Mashghara, Lebanon?
At least 12 people were killed in the Israeli air attacks on Mashghara, Lebanon.
What prompted the recent Israeli air strikes in eastern Lebanon?
The air strikes were authorized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in response to Hezbollah activities, aiming to intensify military actions across Lebanon.
What is the status of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah?
The ceasefire, brokered by the US last month, is under growing strain due to the recent escalation of Israeli air attacks on Hezbollah targets.
