An Israeli airstrike in the city of Tyre, Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of at least seven people, including five siblings, three of whom were deaf and mute, officials and a resident reported. The strike occurred after Israel’s air force conducted airstrikes in various parts of southern and eastern Lebanon following attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs by jets.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah group claimed responsibility for firing rockets into northern Israel and shooting down a drone over south Lebanon. The group also reported that Israel’s air force targeted the area where the drone had crashed. The Health Ministry stated that the airstrikes in Tyre on Friday night injured 46 people, and DNA tests will be used to identify the victims found in the rubble.
A resident of Tyre, Youssef Jundi, described how the airstrikes destroyed several buildings in the coastal city, including those belonging to his neighbor and friend, Ghazwa Dabouk. Dabouk’s siblings Elissar, Rabab, and Fidaa, who were deaf and mute, along with their brother Ali, who had autism, were among the casualties. The Israeli military confirmed that they targeted Hezbollah’s intelligence department offices and a command center in Tyre.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has resulted in over 3,000 deaths in Lebanon over the past 13 months. The war escalated significantly on Sept. 23 with Israeli airstrikes in south and east Lebanon, as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs, causing widespread destruction and displacing around 1.2 million people. Israel initiated a ground invasion of south Lebanon on Oct. 1, focusing on destroying Hezbollah’s weapons and command centers near the border.
The conflict originally began following a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, leading to Hezbollah launching rockets into northern Israel. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are aligned with Iran, further complicating the regional tensions. Despite the ongoing violence, efforts to de-escalate the situation and find a peaceful resolution continue to be a priority for international leaders and organizations.
