At least 19 people, including six women and five children, were reported killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residence in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. Local officials confirmed the casualties, which included former school principal Ahmed Ezzedine and multiple generations of his family residing in the three-storey building in the village of Teffahta.
The village’s imam, Sheikh Abdo Abo Rayya, was among those killed, alongside two bystanders who were passing by the house during the attack. While the Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding the airstrike, it has previously asserted its commitment to minimizing civilian harm during operations.
In the past month, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes across Lebanon, alleging they targeted Hezbollah’s operatives, infrastructure, and weaponry.
The strike on Teffahta reportedly occurred just after the funeral of Ahmed Ezzedine’s relative, who was killed in an airstrike in a nearby village. Local sources clarified that the airstrike did not target a gathering of mourners, as some reports suggested, emphasizing that only family members had returned home after the funeral.
Residing on the ground floor of the house, Mr. Ezzedine was with family members when the attack occurred. Witnesses described the immediate aftermath of the strike, capturing video footage of smoke rising from the ruins of the house.
Lebanon’s health ministry has not yet confirmed the casualty count; however, local accounts indicate the toll stands at 19. Among the victims were five children named Mohammed Yassin, Ahmed and Malak Ezzedine, and Sara and Mohammed Kinyar, as well as six women identified as Zaineb, Malak, Hadiya, Fadiya, Fatima Ezzedine, and Zaina Taleb.
Another eyewitness revealed that the strike occurred shortly after the funeral, leading to uncertainty about whether those killed were indeed the intended targets. The imam was reported to have been walking to the mosque when he was injured by the blast and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
In a broader context, recent airstrikes in Lebanon have resulted in significant loss of life, with reports indicating over 2,500 people killed since the onset of an increased military campaign against Hezbollah in response to ongoing tensions starting in early October. Meanwhile, Israeli officials report 59 fatalities in the northern part of Israel and the Golan Heights due to the conflict.
