Israeli Drone Strike Kills Two Lebanese Civil Defence Paramedics In Southern Lebanon

A Tuesday drone strike in southern Lebanon killed two paramedics from the Lebanese Civil Defence rescue team and injured another after the responders left AlNajdeh Al-Shaabiyeh Hospital in Nabatieh to respond to an earlier strike.

“Israel has ramped up its attacks on southern Lebanon, killing two people and issuing several forced displacement orders as the two sides prepare for United States-brokered talks on extending a ceasefire”

Al Jazeera

MSF said the attack was part of an "alarming pattern" of Israeli attacks targeting rescue teams, and MSF Head of Mission in Lebanon Jeremy Ristord said, "We are outraged over the killing of paramedics who were simply doing their job, taking huge risks to save lives."

Al Jazeera

The Israel Defence Forces said it struck a "terrorist" in the area of Mayfadoun in southern Lebanon, about five kilometres from Nabatieh, and added that the strike was directed solely at a terrorist and not toward rescue personnel.

The BBC reported that the incident unfolded as Israel and Lebanon prepared for a third round of talks in Washington, with the ceasefire declared on April 16 due to expire on Sunday and hostilities largely contained to southern Lebanon while regular Israeli strikes continued.

CBC also reported that since the reignited war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2, at least 110 health-care workers have been killed and 252 injured in Israeli attacks, including Tuesday's attack, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

In the same southern Lebanon area, the IDF said it was aware of reports that "uninvolved individuals" were injured, and it argued that "the objectives of the strike were not achieved" in the initial strike and therefore the terrorist was struck again to remove the threat.

MSF said its teams have witnessed deadly aftermath of airstrikes, drone strikes and artillery fire that damaged hospitals, ambulances and medical equipment, and it said attacks have injured civilians, health workers and first responders.

Anadolu Ajansi

CBC reported that a large crowd of mourners flooded the streets of Sidon on Wednesday to mourn the loss of the two paramedics, Hussein Jaber and Ahmad Noura.

The IDF also told CBC that it "doesn’t target medical staff, it only targets military targets, in accordance with international law," while Dr. Mina Naguib, a British emergency physician with MSF, said, "We know quite clearly that Israel targets and kills paramedics."

CBC said the World Health Organization recorded 161 attacks against health-care facilities and workers between March 2 and May 12, and MSF said 15 attacks resulting in 12 deaths and 21 injuries occurred after the start of the ceasefire.

As diplomatic efforts continued, the Times of Israel reported that a Hezbollah drone attack Thursday in the Rosh Hanikra area wounded four Israeli civilians, with Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya initially saying two were seriously wounded before updating their conditions to critical and moderate.

“Israeli drone strikes on vehicles in Lebanon kill 12 people, including 2 children Israeli drone strikes on vehicles in Lebanon kill 12 people, including 2 children BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes Wednesday struck seven vehicles in Lebanon — three of them on the main highway just south of Beirut — killing 12 people including a woman and her two children, the Lebanese Health Ministry said”

AP News

The Times of Israel also said the IDF launched a wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon after issuing evacuation warnings for eight villages, and it quoted army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee warning, "In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force."

NBC News reported that during the Trump-declared ceasefire that came into effect April 16, Israeli forces leveled whole areas of towns and villages in southern Lebanon, and it quoted Bilal Saab saying the truce was "only a ceasefire in name."

The stakes for civilians were underscored by the Lebanese Health Ministry figures cited by NBC News and by CBC, with NBC News describing destruction in the security zone and CBC reporting that Lebanese health authorities said 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, including eight children.

With the ceasefire due to expire and another round of talks scheduled in Washington, the Times of Israel said the negotiations were expected to discuss Hezbollah’s disarmament and a pathway to broader peace, while Hezbollah rejected the talks and was not part of them.