Lebanon: 23 killed in Israeli strike on Christian village

Image: Fides

Source: Fides

At least 23 people were killed yesterday, Monday 14 October, in a bomb attack on a building in the predominantly Christian village of Aitou, near Zgharta, in the far north of Lebanon.

Local sources report that the building in question was probably already known to the Israelis, because in 2006, during the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, it was rented by the Hezbollah-affiliated television station Al-Manar.

Recently the building was used to house Shiite refugees from southern Lebanon who fled the Israeli offensive. They were mostly elderly people and families with children.

The Israeli airstrike was reportedly triggered when a Hezbollah representative arrived at the building with some money to be distributed to the refugees.

The building was destroyed by bombs. According to latest reports, there are at least 23 dead. A local commentator said: "The Lebanese population, is once again wondering how Israel was able to know the exact time of the arrival of the person who was to be hit."

Military observers say the Israeli forces try to destroy not only weapons and ammunition depots, but also Hezbollah's cash reserves, much-needed in a country that has been in financial crisis since the end of 2019.