At least 21 individuals have died and eight others sustained injuries following an unprecedented Israeli airstrike in northern Lebanon, as reported by the Lebanese health ministry. The attack targeted a residential structure in Aitou, a predominantly Christian village situated far from the conflict zones that have historically seen Israeli military activity, primarily aimed at the Shia militant group Hezbollah.
Local residents revealed that a family recently displaced by the ongoing war was residing in the building at the time of the strike. The Israeli military has not yet provided a commentary on the incident. This airstrike follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration to “continue to strike Hezbollah without mercy everywhere in Lebanon – including Beirut.”
He added, “Everything is guided by operational considerations. We have demonstrated this recently and will continue to affirm it in the coming days.” This statement was made during his visit to a military base in northern Israel, where a drone operated by Hezbollah resulted in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers and left several others injured the previous night.
The military is currently investigating how the drone bypassed its advanced air defense systems to hit a training facility of the Golani Brigade near Binyamina. This incident marks one of the deadliest attacks from Hezbollah against Israel since the resurgence of cross-border violence sparked by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Hezbollah claims their actions are a retaliation to Israeli attacks in Lebanon, which have led to nearly 1,700 fatalities in the past month alone, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Recent Israeli airstrikes have primarily focused on the Shia-dominated southern regions and the Bekaa Valley, where Hezbollah maintains significant influence.
Aitou, a Maronite Christian community near Tripoli, was not anticipated to be a target for such operations. Residents described the overwhelming devastation, recalling a sudden and powerful blast without any prior warning. It was noted that several families displaced by conflict had recently relocated to Aitou, and the impacted house had only been rented out two weeks prior.
A Lebanese security source informed that the aerial attack occurred shortly after an unidentified individual arrived by car. The Lebanese health ministry is conducting DNA tests to identify the remains retrieved from the site by first responders.
Israeli military operations have predominantly been concentrated in the east, the suburbs of Beirut, and southern Lebanon—areas that have experienced confrontations involving UN peacekeepers. On Monday, a spokesperson for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon stated their peacekeepers would remain in their designated positions, disregarding repeated Israeli demands for withdrawal.
The UN Security Council has expressed deep concern regarding incidents where UN personnel were injured amid the Israeli military’s offensive against Hezbollah. Additionally, the Israeli military reported a strike in southern Nabatieh that reportedly killed the commander of Hezbollah’s anti-tank unit. Hezbollah has yet to respond to this information.
Furthermore, the military confirmed it targeted Hezbollah launchers responsible for several rocket attacks into central and northern Israel. Most of these rockets were either intercepted or landed in unpopulated areas. In one instance, a woman sustained minor injuries from a volley of 15 rockets fired towards Karmiel, while debris from an interception fell in the Holon area, south of Tel Aviv, fortunately causing no injuries or damage.
On Monday, the Israeli military stated that 115 projectiles had been launched by Hezbollah into Israeli territory. In a recent update from early Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces indicated that its air force had struck over 200 Hezbollah targets throughout southern Lebanon and beyond, including terrorist cells, anti-tank missile sites, and surface-to-surface missile launchers, all conducted in coordination with ground operations. The military reported the elimination of numerous militants and the dismantling of Hezbollah’s infrastructures, along with the discovery of substantial quantities of weapons and equipment.
