By Nadine Osman
London (The Muslim News): At least nine people were killed and 14 others injured in an overnight Israeli airstrike on an apartment in the Bachoura area of central Beirut, the Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed on Thursday. The airstrike caused heavy damage to nearby buildings and cars while efforts to identify the victims are ongoing. In Gaza, Israel killed indiscriminately 100 more Palestinians within the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Separately, seven paramedics with the Hezbollah [Hizbullah]-affiliated Health Authority were killed in an Israeli strike on a civil defence centre in Beirut. The attack, which targeted the Zqaq el-Blat neighbourhood, also claimed the life of Raja Zreik, head of the Civil Defence Service in Beirut.
This assault was part of a broader Israeli air campaign that has targeted various areas in Lebanon. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee stated that “precise” strikes were conducted in Beirut, but further details were not provided.
Lebanese state news agency NNA reported that Israeli forces launched 17 airstrikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs until daybreak on Thursday.
Israeli airstrikes were also reported in southern Lebanese towns, including Tyre and Bint Jbeil, where a municipal building allegedly housing Hezbollah weaponry was targeted.
Israel’s aerial campaign, which began on September 23, has resulted in more than 1,100 deaths in Lebanon, with over 3,000 injured, according to Lebanese health officials.
The strikes are an escalation in a yearlong conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that reignited following Tel Aviv’s offensive in Gaza. Since the start of the conflict, nearly 1,974 people have been killed in Lebanon, and 1.2 million others have been displaced.
On the ground, two Lebanese soldiers were killed and another injured during an Israeli attack in Tayibe in southern Lebanon. Another soldier lost his life in an Israeli attack on an army post in Bint Jbeil, raising the Lebanese military death toll to three. Hezbollah claims to have detonated a bomb against Israeli forces attempting to enter the village of Maroun al-Ras, further escalating the conflict.
International responses have condemned the indiscriminate attacks by Israel on Lebanon.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described the strikes on healthcare workers in Beirut as a violation of international humanitarian law.
The World Health Organisation also reported that 28 healthcare workers had been killed within 24 hours of Israeli airstrikes, while supply restrictions have hampered the delivery of vital medical aid to Lebanon.
In Gaza, the death toll continues to rise, with over 41,788 people killed by Israeli Defence Forces since last October.
Israeli airstrikes targeting homes, refugee camps, and displaced persons have left nearly 100 more Palestinians killed within the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Rescue efforts have been hampered, with many people trapped under rubble, unable to be reached by rescuers.
Amid the intensifying conflict, Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Jaffa in central Israel. The Israeli military confirmed it intercepted an aerial target but has not provided further details.
Meanwhile, Iran has sent a message to the US via Qatar, warning that it does not seek regional war but will respond unconventionally to any Israeli attack.
Pakistan and Malaysia condemned Israel on Thursday for its ongoing genocide in Gaza and invasion of Lebanon, urging the international community to reject “hypocrisy” and “selective justice.” At a joint press briefing in Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for an “immediate” cease-fire in both Gaza and Lebanon, stating, “In contemporary history, there is no parallel to this kind of genocide and carnage.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted that the conflict is not between two nations, but rather, a display of “intransigence” and “aggression,” violating international norms. He added, “The problem is more precarious now with the extended war and aggression into Lebanon and the continued genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.” Anwar further criticised the inconsistency and “hypocrisy” of countries claiming to support human rights while applying “selective” standards.
[Photo: Relatives of Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks in Khan Yunis, Gaza, mourn as bodies are brought to Nasser Hospital on 03 10, 2024.
Photojournalist: Abed Rahim Khatib /AA]
