5 killed in Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon

ISTANBUL

Five Lebanese were killed and more than nine others, including members of one family, were injured in an Israeli airstrike Saturday that targeted a house in southern Lebanon, the state’s national news agency reported.

“An Israeli raid targeted a house in the Ain neighborhood in the center of Khirbet Selm town, resulting in the death of a family of 4, who had fled from the town of Blida, and injuring more than 9 others,” said the agency.

It pointed out that “Israeli warplanes fired two missiles at the house, resulting in the martyrdom of the father from the Marji family, his pregnant wife from the Fakih family, their two sons, and another person.”

The targeting also injured nine people from surrounding houses, all of whom were transferred to the Tebnine government hospital.

The airstrike caused severe damage to dozens of surrounding houses, according to the agency.

Earlier Saturday, Hezbollah announced that “the Islamic resistance targeted an Israeli military force in the vicinity of Mount Adir (northern Israel) with appropriate weapons, causing direct casualties, including both killed and injured individuals.”

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of weapons fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.​​​​​​​

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala