5 killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon: Health Ministry

By Wassim Seifeddine

BEIRUT (AA) - At least five people were killed in two Israeli airstrikes in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported Wednesday.

“The Israeli airstrike on the town of Maarakeh in the Tyre district resulted in the martyrdom of four individuals,” according to a statement.

It noted that a separate strike on the town of Qlaileh killed one person.

Lebanon's National News Agency, meanwhile, reported intense clashes and Israeli attempts to advance from the outskirts of Aalma El Chaeb toward the towns of Shama and Biyyadah in southern Lebanon.

It said onfrontation between Hezbollah and Israeli army erupted while Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem was delivering a video address.

The news agency also said that “Israeli airstrikes are targeting the areas of Wadi Hamoul and Labbouneh in Naqoura in southern Lebanon, along with artillery and phosphorus shelling.”

The escalation comes as US envoy Amos Hochstein visits Lebanon, despite Washington’s unwavering support for Israel in its genocide in the Gaza Strip.​​​​​​​

Hochstein is set to travel to Israel later Wednesday in an effort to broker a cease-fire deal to end Israeli military actions against Lebanon.

Israel has been engaged in cross-border warfare with Lebanon, launching an air campaign against what it claims are targets of the Hezbollah group since late September.

More than 3,550 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with over 15,100 injured and more than a million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio