At least eight individuals were killed and 25 others wounded in an Israeli airstrike near the southern city of Sidon in Lebanon.
According to an AFP, Lebanon’s health ministry stated this incident in a statememy on Sunday.
Report revealed that the strike targeted a building in a densely populated suburb of Sidon, an area that has recently seen an influx of families displaced from conflict zones further south.
This strike marks the first significant military action in Sidon since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah began last month.
“The Israeli enemy’s raid on Haret Saida resulted in a… toll of eight killed,” the health ministry disclosed, updating an earlier report that had indicated only two fatalities.
Among the casualties was a child, as confirmed by the official National News Agency. Additionally, a nurse and three other bystanders lost their lives in the attack.
The destruction was significant that one apartment was completely demolished in a three-storey residential complex, with surrounding shops and buildings also suffering damage.
Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene to search for any survivors amid the rubble.
The Israeli army had issued an evacuation warning for several areas in southern Lebanon on Sunday; however, Haret Saida was not included in the list of targeted locations.
Since the onset of the conflict on September 23, the toll in Lebanon has been devastating, with at least 1,615 lives lost, according to an AFP tally of the health ministry’s figures.
However, experts believe the actual number may be even higher due to inconsistencies in data collection and reporting.
