Tragedy Strikes Barja: Israeli Airstrike Claims Lives
In a devastating incident on Tuesday, rescuers recovered the remains of 30 individuals from a damaged apartment building in the coastal town of Barja, following an Israeli airstrike, as reported by Lebanon’s Civil Defence. Mostafa Danaj, a civil defence official, indicated that local residents fear there may still be additional victims trapped under the rubble after the surprise attack. The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding the strike, and the specific target remains unclear.
Muhyiddin Al-Qalaaji, a resident of the building, was at work when the strike occurred and learned of the tragedy from his wife. He recounted, “There are many dead and injured,” as he sifted through the debris to salvage what belongings he could on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its aerial bombardment across various parts of Lebanon, while its ground forces continue their advance into the southern region of the country. In response, the militant group Hezbollah, which Israel claims to be combating in Lebanon, launched ten rockets towards Israeli territory on Wednesday, marking an escalation in the ongoing exchanges of fire between the two sides. Notably, a significant portion of a rocket fired by Hezbollah crashed into a parked vehicle in the central Israeli city of Raanana. Additional rocket strikes were reported in open areas near Israel’s main international airport, although the airport authorities confirmed that flights were operating normally. Israel’s emergency medical services, Magen David Adom, reported no injuries resulting from these incidents.
The hostilities between the two factions have escalated since Hezbollah began its rocket attacks following the Hamas-led offensive on Israel on October 7 of the previous year. Related
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- Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu dismisses Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, citing a ‘crisis of trust’
Since mid-September, Israel has concentrated its military efforts in Lebanon, while also continuing its operations in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made headlines by dismissing Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, appointing loyalist Israel Katz as his successor. Concerns are mounting that Gallant’s replacement signals Netanyahu’s determination to pursue aggressive military objectives, as Gallant had advocated for the use of military force as a prerequisite for any temporary ceasefire.
Netanyahu and Gallant have historically been at odds regarding the war in Gaza, yet the prime minister refrained from dismissing his rival before the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday. Gallant’s ousting has sparked widespread protests across Israel, with demonstrators calling for a ceasefire agreement that would facilitate the release of remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Efforts to reach a ceasefire have repeatedly stalled, with both parties struggling to agree on the necessary preconditions for establishing temporary peace in the region. The most recent ceasefire proposal was backed by the Biden administration.
In a surprising twist, U.S. media outlets reported on Wednesday morning that Gallant would be succeeded by Donald Trump, raising further questions about the evolving dynamics of international involvement in the ongoing conflict.
