2 killed in Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon

By Stephanie Rady

BEIRUT (AA) - Two people were killed on Tuesday evening in an Israeli airstrike on the town of Majdal Selm in southern Lebanon, health ministry said.

This airstrike occurred shortly after thousands of pager communication devices were detonated in different areas in Lebanon, killing 9 people, including a child, and injuring 2,800, with 200 in critical condition, the Health Ministry said.

Hezbollah held Israel fully responsible for the wireless explosions and vowed “just retaliation from unexpected quarters” to Tel Aviv.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on the explosions in Lebanon.

The mass explosion came amid an exchange of cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel against the backdrop of a brutal Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,200 people, mostly women and children, following a Hamas attack Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala