Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of at least seven individuals and injuries to several others on Saturday, as confirmed by officials. Concurrently, the Israeli military razed sections of a Catholic convent in a border village. The military issued a warning for residents of nine southern villages to evacuate, with both Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, supported by Iran, continuing hostilities despite a ceasefire in effect since April 17.
In the village of Yaroun, Israeli forces utilized bulldozers to demolish parts of a Catholic convent that had been unoccupied due to recent conflicts. The superior general of the Basilian Salvatorian Sisters, Gladys Sabbagh, reported that the convent, which housed a school shut down after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war and a clinic relocated to a nearby village, was destroyed by bulldozers. The convent accommodated only two nuns who had evacuated due to the war, and further details are scarce as Yaroun’s residents have been displaced.
The Israeli Defense Forces claimed that while targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Yaroun, a house devoid of religious insignia sustained damage. They asserted that upon discovering its connection to a church, steps were taken to prevent additional harm. The military alleged that the compound had previously been used by Hezbollah to launch attacks on Israel but emphasized that religious establishments are not deliberately targeted.
Disputing the military’s account, the Catholic Church in Lebanon refuted allegations of military activity at the compound, highlighting the sanctity of places of worship. Rev. Abdo Abou Kassm from the Catholic Center for Information expressed opposition to any aggression towards churches, emphasizing their role in promoting peace and education.
Recent events, including the destruction of a statue of Jesus in Debel and ongoing Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah assaults in southern Lebanon, have heightened tensions. Reports from Lebanon’s National News Agency indicated casualties from airstrikes in various villages, with Israel’s military conducting numerous airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Hezbollah, in turn, claimed to have launched a drone attack on Israeli troops in Bayed.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which commenced in early March, has led to numerous casualties and extensive destruction in southern Lebanon. Despite a ceasefire brokered in Washington and subsequent direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, the region remains volatile. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported a significant toll on civilians, with thousands killed and injured since the outbreak of hostilities.