Three individuals lost their lives and several others, including UN peacekeepers and Lebanese soldiers, were injured following an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on Thursday, according to Lebanese authorities. The incident occurred amid intensifying hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which also involved more than 120 rockets being launched from Lebanon into Israel, leaving one Israeli man, aged 85, injured.
The Lebanese army reported that the airstrike targeted a car passing near the Awali checkpoint in the southern city of Sidon. The attack led to the deaths of the car’s occupants, though authorities did not clarify whether they were civilians or combatants. Additionally, three Lebanese soldiers and four members of the Malaysian contingent in the UNIFIL peacekeeping force were injured in the strike.
In response to rising tensions, the Israeli military struck several Hezbollah sites, including a command center in the coastal city of Tyre, believed to have managed drone operations and surveillance. The IDF also hit Hezbollah weapon depots and rocket launchers in southern Lebanon. In total, Hezbollah reportedly fired around 120 rockets into Israel, prompting emergency sirens across northern Israel and resulting in light injuries to an elderly resident.
Amid this violence, UNESCO announced it would hold a special session to consider added protection for Lebanon’s cultural heritage sites, given the risks to historic landmarks in Baalbek, Tyre, Sidon, and other areas. Lebanese lawmakers appealed to UNESCO for support, citing damage to ancient sites near recent airstrikes.
As both nations experience ongoing clashes, heightened security and diplomatic measures are being called for to protect civilians, peacekeepers, and Lebanon’s cultural sites at risk due to the conflict.