AITO, Lebanon. An Israeli airstrike on Monday hit an apartment building in northern Lebanon, killing at least 21 people, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. The attack took place in the village of Aito, a predominantly Christian area far from the usual Hezbollah strongholds in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Rescue workers combed through the debris of the damaged building in Aito, pulling victims from the rubble. The strike also impacted nearby structures and vehicles, but the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. The Israeli military has not yet stated the strike or its intended target.
This incident follows a deadly Hezbollah drone attack on an Israeli army base in northern Israel on Sunday, which left four 19-year-old soldiers dead and seven others severely injured. The attack is the most significant assault by Hezbollah since Israel began its ground invasion of Lebanon almost two weeks ago.
During a visit to the army base on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged continued strikes against Hezbollah. “We will continue to strike Hezbollah without compassion in every part of Lebanon, including in Beirut,” Netanyahu declared, reaffirming Israel’s military resolve.
The violence comes amid a sharp increase in hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. On Sunday, Hezbollah launched rockets, missiles, and drones into Israeli territory, causing significant casualties and destruction. Israel has reported that its air defense systems intercepted many of these attacks, but over 60 Israeli citizens have been killed in Hezbollah’s cross-border assaults over the past year.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 2,300 people have died from Israeli airstrikes since October, with the majority of the deaths occurring in the last month. Hezbollah, a close ally of Hamas, has vowed to persist in its attacks on Israel until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. In response, Israel asserts that its military campaign is aimed at stopping Hezbollah’s offensive, allowing displaced Israeli residents near the Lebanese border to return home safely.
As both sides intensify their military operations, the death toll continues to rise, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
