Lebanon: Israeli Strike Claims Lives of Over 15 Rescue Workers-urgent360

Lebanon's Ministry of Health reports that nearly 200 emergency and health workers have been killed since September due to the ongoing conflict.

 

On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike hit an emergency response center in northeastern Lebanon, killing at least 15 rescue workers. The attack, one of the deadliest of its kind in the current conflict, targeted a building in Douris near Baalbek, where Lebanon’s civil defense operates. According to regional governor Bachir Khodr, the casualties included Bilal Raad, the head of the local civil defense. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health condemned the strike, calling it "barbaric."

 

Israel has not commented on this incident, which severely impacted Lebanon’s civil defense, an agency responsible for firefighting, search and rescue, and other emergency services and is not affiliated with Hezbollah.

 

A second airstrike that same day targeted a civil defense center in Arab Salim, a town in southern Lebanon's Nabatieh region, killing six people, including five paramedics, according to Lebanon’s state news agency, NNA.

 

Since the escalation in hostilities with Hezbollah in September, at least 192 emergency responders have lost their lives in airstrikes, as reported by Lebanon's health ministry. The recent attacks are part of Israel’s intensified air campaign, which has included Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold. On Friday, airstrikes hit these areas for a fourth consecutive day following evacuation orders from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which claims to be targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

 

In response to the violence, international calls for a ceasefire have intensified, with American diplomats presenting a formal proposal to the Lebanese government. Lebanese officials have emphasized that any agreement should be based on United Nations Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. The resolution calls for the removal of Hezbollah fighters and weapons from areas between the Blue Line (the unofficial Lebanon-Israel border) and the Litani River, around 30 kilometers from Israel’s boundary.

 

A potential ceasefire deal could involve the deployment of additional Lebanese army forces in these areas along with a monitoring system, though the specifics are still under negotiation. Israel has expressed a desire to retain the right to take action within Lebanon if any breaches occur, a condition unlikely to be accepted by Hezbollah or the Lebanese government.

 

Following extensive damage from two months of heavy airstrikes, Hezbollah's capabilities appear diminished, with much of its infrastructure destroyed and key leaders lost. However, the group has shown resilience, reportedly regrouping and continuing attacks on northern Israel, though at a reduced intensity.

 

During a visit by Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasized Lebanon’s commitment to a ceasefire based strictly on Resolution 1701. He added that efforts to reach a comprehensive “understanding” with international partners are ongoing.